The Republican Party is so desperate to protect their NRA donors and firearm fetishist constituents that they’re willing to make patently absurd suggestions about how to curb gun violence so long as it means that they don’t have to pass new gun reform legislation.
Conservatives blame video games, Hollywood, and anything else that pops into their head in order to distract from the real cause of these shootings: the abundance and easy access to guns in this country.
One of the most ridiculous ideas to date has just been instituted at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida the location of the recent horrific mass shooting in which 17 people were murdered in cold blood by a man wielding an AR-15-style assault weapon. Students have been given transparent backpacks, a violation of privacy ostensibly aimed at preventing students from smuggling guns into school.
It’s worth noting that the Parkland shooter was no longer a student when he entered the school and opened fire and so the backpack measure wouldn’t have stopped him. His rifle also wouldn’t have fit inside the backpack in the first place, even if he were still a student.
Not surprisingly, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas students are less than thrilled about the transparent packs. Many of them flocked to Twitter to share and mock pictures of the ludicrous accessories. A few tagged Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), because he has failed to take a strong enough stance on gun reform.
My new backpack is almost as transparent as the NRA’s agenda.
I feel sooo safe now.
As much as I appreciate the effort we as a country need to focus on the real issue instead of turning our schools into prisons. #clearbackpacks #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/HqBIeGjzF9
— Lauren Hogg (@lauren_hoggs) April 2, 2018
.@marcorubio pic.twitter.com/yxuXCRGCiE
— Sarah Chadwick// #NEVERAGAIN (@Sarahchadwickk) April 2, 2018
Starting off the last quarter of senior year right, with a good ol’ violation of privacy! pic.twitter.com/Glf9C14dsq
— Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) April 2, 2018
Opposite of progress pic.twitter.com/qJqAtRghRF
— Uncle Sam Zeif #Douglasstrong (@SzZeif) April 2, 2018
#MSD #ClearBackpacks new normal pic.twitter.com/DP4hoVckOI
— Jalen Martin (@JalenLMartin) April 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/JaclynCorin/status/980898527453773825
A MSD student walks out with his new clear backpack provided by the school. #MSDStrong #clearbackpacks @WPTV @AmyLipman pic.twitter.com/BCazsfNDNS
— Kaan PALA (@kaanpala) April 2, 2018
🙂 @marcorubio pic.twitter.com/eBmB9Tz9uB
— Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) April 2, 2018
Now I can't lie about not having gum #clearbackpacks #MarjoryStonemanDouglas pic.twitter.com/IvirtKehsd
— Sarah #MSDSTRONG (@Sarah_Realbrows) April 2, 2018
This backpack is probably worth more than my life #trends #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/sVAfRbt12R
— Carmen Lo // #NEVERAGAIN (@xo_karmin_ox) April 2, 2018
Tragic shootings like the one these students survived will continue to happen until Republicans get serious and join Democrats to stop gun violence. We need new, meaningful legislation to pass restrictions on these weapons of war before more innocents are slain.
