Trump Lies About Virginia's Effort to Enact Sensible Gun Regulations as Militias Descend on Richmond

Here is a good rule of thumb; any time that you think that Donald Trump can't sink any lower, think again. As gun-rights activists, right wing militias and white supremacist groups descend on Richmond, VA for a rally tomorrow, the President thought it wise to tweet this:

Trump, Twitter: "Your 2nd Amendment is under very serious attack in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia. That’s what happens when you vote for Democrats, they will take your guns away. Republicans will win Virginia in 2020. Thank you Dems!"

To give you some idea of the backdrop to Trump's entirely inappropriate and dangerous provocation, consider this:

Washington Post: "On Thursday, the FBI arrested three alleged members of a white-supremacist group on gun charges, in part out of concern that they planned to attend the Richmond rally and incite violence."

Monday's gun-rights rally is in opposition to efforts by Virginia's legislature to pass a few sensible and moderate gun regulations in a state long known for having lax gun laws and which experienced a mass shooting in May. Democrats are not trying to take away anybody’s guns and Trump knows it. The State Senate passed legislation that would establish mandatory background checks for all gun sales, limit purchases to one gun per month and allow local governments to ban firearms at public events which require a permit. Many states have similar laws and none abridge the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution. The state is also considering a ban on "military-style weapons" but it would include a grandfather clause protecting those who already own them.

However, over the last few months, Virginia's efforts have been blown out of proportion on social media by conspiracy theorists who wish to stoke fear among 2nd Amendment activists.

Washington Post: "Among the wilder rumors spreading online is that United Nations “disarmament officers” have descended on Virginia. A photo of white U.N. trucks being transported on a flatbed, purportedly shot on I-81 near Lexington on Dec. 30, has been making the rounds."...

... "One white supremacist blogger wrote a widely disseminated post claiming that Northam planned to call out the Guard and cut power and Internet service to thwart gun supporters."

Officials in Richmond fear a repeat of the violence that erupted at the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally in 2017. Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency last week and issued a ban on firearms on Capitol grounds during the rally. And a Republican leader joined the Governor on Friday, after being briefed on the situation, to urge restraint.

Washington Post: “Any group that comes to Richmond to spread white supremacist garbage, or any other form of hate, violence, or civil unrest isn’t welcome here,” House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) said in a written statement Saturday. “While we and our Democratic colleagues may have differences, we are all Virginians and we will stand united in opposition to any threats of violence or civil unrest from any quarter.”

A responsible President would have joined Gilbert and Northam by issuing a statement meant to calm the situation, but Donald Trump is not a responsible President. Quite the opposite.

#guncontrol #news

By: Don Lam & Curated Content