Prior to the Congressional Baseball Game in June, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., players on both the Democrat and Republican teams gathered at second base for a moment of silence and prayer. Likewise, after the Las Vegas shooting, President Trump and Vice President Pence held a moment of silence at the White House. Then both NFL teams held a moment of silence prior to last night’s ‘Monday Night Football“‘ battle. Last, but not least, let’s not forget to mention the New York Stock Exchange, Dancing With the Stars, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, equally providing their own ‘moment of silence.’ There’s probably been tons of “moments” during the last several days, but nothing more.

These ‘moments’ are ritualized and repeated. I envision the conversation of legislative leaders. “Oh! Another shooting. Pull the ‘Moment of Silence’ card from the rolladeck.” Read instructions.

  1. Acknowledge how saddened you are;
  2. Tweet your prayers and love to affected family and friends;
  3. Hold a moment of silence, preferably in public (looks more humble);
  4. Say it’s too soon to discuss meaningful gun law changes while the nation heals; and
  5. Do nothing.

Look at the Pulse Nightclub, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Luby’s Cafeteria, San Ysidro, San Bernardino, Fort Hood, Columbine, Las Vegas, etc, etc, etc. Same card. Same instructions. In fact, I believe the card gets so worn out that the government printing office presses new ones every other year.

‘Moments’ are the best anyone can expect. However, for the dead, they get lots of moments … damned eternal moments.

However, have an NFL football player kneel during the National Anthem and all hell will break loose. Get the President to rip kneeling NFL players in fiery speeches to an all republican crowd, call fans to boycott and demand NFL owners get those sons of bitches off the field. Ensure fans publicly denounce players, with some calling for their heads.

And victims of gun violence? Silence. Need meaningful gun legislative leadership? Silence.

Why?

It’s About Mathematics

In the 2016 election, National Rifle Association spent a stupendous $54.4 million, almost all of it in “independent expenditures,” meaning spending for or against a candidate but not a direct contribution to a campaign. The money went almost entirely to Republicans to a degree that almost looks like a misprint (but isn’t): Democrats received only $265.

Who are the top ten recipients?

  • Ryan, Paul
  • Young, Don
  • Johnson, Ron
  • Cornyn, John
  • Thune, John
  • Toomey, Pat
  • Paul, Rand
  • Sessions, Pete
  • Rubio, Marco
  • Blunt, Roy

The NRA endowed the 54 senators who voted in 2015 against a measure prohibiting people on the government’s terrorist watch list from buying guns with $37 million in support. The NRA also gave $27 million in direct and indirect support to 50 senators who voted against a bill to require universal background checks for firearms purchases.

Sadly, the Las Vegas victims were on the wrong end of legislative mathematics. If the 59 Las Vegas victims had given $54 million in campaign contributions, another $37 million in direct and indirect support, and $27 million in other support, we’d have meaningful gun legislation. But Las Vegas victims didn’t donate $118 million. They were shot.

Until we change the mathematics, someone living today will become the next victim in the next mass shooting. In the meantime, let’s make sure NFL owners fire those “sons of bitches” (as Trump would say) NFL players for being disrespectful to the United States Flag. Surely, we wouldn’t want America to be disgraced on national television.

After all, we have priorities. What’s yours?