In the wake of the shootings in Aurora, Colorado, the religious right immediately starting blaming everything they already blamed — gay people, liberals, lack of God in schools and everything else they could think of. Here’s a few examples:
Jerry Newcombe of Truth in Action Ministries says it’s all because we’ve tossed God out of the public arena (whatever the hell that could possibly mean).
Bryan Fischer says it’s because we’re not using the public schools to teach kids to believe in his twisted, immoral theocratic vision.
Fred Jackson of the American Family Association blames it all on liberal churches and the media.
Flip Benham says that the shooter was the “spawn of the ideology of the Democratic Party” because we’ve “stolen God from the hearts of our children.”
I blame it on Judas Priest. And vaccines. And the Bilderbergers. And Obama.
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Pierce R. Butler
July 23, 2012 at 12:41 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
What about fluoridation? And the Designated Hitter Rule?
dingojack
July 23, 2012 at 12:41 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
And the bin Laden family…
Except their connection the Bushes of course…
@@
Dingo
slc1
July 23, 2012 at 12:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I blame it on Judas Priest. And vaccines. And the Bilderbergers. And Obama.
Let’s not forget the Illuminati, the Masons, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission, and fluorides in the water.
dingojack
July 23, 2012 at 12:45 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
AND THE U.N.
everything is their fault. Including the Crucifixion of Jesus. If they hadn’t that time machine and mind control device…
Dingo
EricJ
July 23, 2012 at 12:53 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Funny how most of the time the right accuses the left of blaming social problems and behavior on society, crowing about the importance of “personal responsibility,” until something shocking like this happens, which can be used as a propaganda club, then all of a sudden it’s society’s fault, or some segment of it .
Larry
July 23, 2012 at 1:04 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Personally, I blame it on James Holmes. But, hey, that’s just me.
Randomfactor
July 23, 2012 at 1:08 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
And the Designated Hitter Rule?
Totally read that as “Designated Hitler Rule.”
slc1
July 23, 2012 at 1:18 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Re Randomfactor @ #7
AFAIK, there is no requirement in American League rules that a team must use a designated hitter.
coryat
July 23, 2012 at 1:20 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Matt Barber @ Wing Nut Daily:
“Let me be clear: Am I comparing this incredibly wicked, illegal mass murder at Aurora’s Century Theatre to the incredibly wicked, legal mass murder committed at Planned Parenthoods across the country each day? Absolutely – and you can quote me on it”
Stacy
July 23, 2012 at 1:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I blame Rebecca Watson.
Who Knows?
July 23, 2012 at 2:00 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I blame the Inebriati.
fastlane
July 23, 2012 at 2:06 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I keep waiting for one of these yokels to shout out “their after our precious bodily fluids!”, so at least those of is in the know will be able to recognize that they’re a Poe.
Sadly, I think they are all really that stupid and morally bankrupt, though.
eidolon
July 23, 2012 at 2:10 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Random @7
I did the same. But then it also made sense since Obama and liberals in general are the Spawn of Hitler.
d cwilson
July 23, 2012 at 2:14 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Ed, you forgot to mention Louie “Terror Babies” Ghormet who blamed the shooting not only on the fact that we’ve chased Jeebus out of our society, but also the factt that no one in the theater had a gun to shoot back.
Because your average schmo is totally trained to engage in a gunfight in the middle of a crowded theater filled with tear gas and a panicked crowd.
longstreet63
July 23, 2012 at 2:16 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
The crime clearly shows the need for more/less regulation on handguns/pornography/violent video games/abortion/voting rights/education/teaching evolution/chemtrails/animal testing/(insert pet cause here).
Just like (insert event here) showed us before, and yet we did nothing! Nothing! therefore the true blame in this matter lies squarely with (insert traditional political opponent or organization). They can no longer claims innocence for blood is clearly on their hands.
Therefore, I call upon everyone to immediately implement (insert program previously promoted) which is the only thing which will prevent a repeat of this terrible (insert event).
No one could possibly claim it is unneeded, given recent events.
silslash
July 23, 2012 at 2:40 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I blame it on the boogie.
Area Man
July 23, 2012 at 3:02 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
A Designated Hitler rule would be so awesome. Jose Canseco and John Rocker would have to come out of retirement.
Michael Heath
July 23, 2012 at 3:14 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
The worst I saw was another commenter in this venue linking to a Rick Warren tweet in Ed’s first related post. Mr. Warren insinuated this was because we teach evolution; here’s the tweet:
I think this is one of those arguments where there’s far more logical fallacies than assertions, a talent only the most extremely deluded ideologues seem to possess. In fact demonstrating this capability should be one criteria considered when applying for induction into the Wingnut Hall of Fame.
And given the fact even the wingnuts don’t attempt to defend Michele Bachman or Sarah Palin all that hard, I find it find more onerous when Warren acts like this; that’s because he’s predominately considered a reasonable and honest man. Nothing could be further from the truth, but even liberals cut the guy a break he in no way merits, e.g., getting spots on the Meet the Press, one of the two men doing the Obama presidential inaugural prayer.
Mr. Upright
July 23, 2012 at 4:28 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
It ain’t much, but at least he uses the correct adjective form, “Democratic Party,” instead of the wildly popular (among mouth breathers) “Democrat Party.”
Doug Little
July 23, 2012 at 4:54 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I know of no other animal that commits mass murder of its own species, I believe that it is a purely human trait.
caseloweraz
July 23, 2012 at 5:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
d cwilson wrote: “Because your average schmo is totally trained to engage in a gunfight in the middle of a crowded theater filled with tear gas and a panicked crowd.”
…with someone wearing a bullet-proof vest and leggings, and using fully automatic weapons.
Doug Little
July 23, 2012 at 5:14 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Gretchen
July 23, 2012 at 6:00 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Chimpanzees engage in gang warfare, killing off large numbers of the opposing faction if they can get away with it and cannibalizing their remains, especially those of any infants they happen to catch.
But really, that doesn’t say anything about relative moral standing. The primary reason that humans kill each other off in large numbers is that we’re smart enough to develop the weaponry to accomplish that. Give an elephant seal the ability to blow his sexual rivals to smithereens instead of fighting them off one by one with his tusks, and you can be sure he’d do so.
Modusoperandi
July 23, 2012 at 9:02 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That’s where the lions are.
Gretchen “Give an elephant seal the ability to blow his sexual rivals to smithereens instead of fighting them off one by one with his tusks, and you can be sure he’d do so.”
Elephant seals don’t have tusks.
Ace of Sevens
July 23, 2012 at 9:15 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@4: Mike Adams of Natural News did blame the U.N.
Gretchen
July 23, 2012 at 10:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Whatever. They have some whopping big teeth and do some serious damage with them. The point remains that any animal with a tradition of beating, biting, scratching, jabbing, or crushing the hell out of his sexual rivals would doubtless prefer a more efficient way of getting rid of them if such were available.
Modusoperandi
July 23, 2012 at 11:12 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Gretchen “Whatever.”
“Whatever”? “Whatever”?! Walruses work their knuckles to the bone to clean that sweet grill and you confuse elephant seals for them?
Do you mistake Walter Matthau for George Clooney? Do you?
Expect a boycott by walruses for your product or service.
Yours truly,
Walrus J. Walrus, President, Walrus Anti-Conflation League
dingojack
July 24, 2012 at 12:12 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Walrus J. Walrus – CUT ME ANOTHER SLICE!
I wish you weren’t quite so deaf, I’ve had to ask you twice.
Hey – George Clooney has big ol’ chompers, perhaps he’s an Elephant Seal too.
Dingo
stace
July 24, 2012 at 8:24 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Blame it on the Bossa Nova
The dance of love
kermit.
July 24, 2012 at 1:36 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
EricJ: Funny how most of the time the right accuses the left of blaming social problems and behavior on society, crowing about the importance of “personal responsibility,” until something shocking like this happens, which can be used as a propaganda club, then all of a sudden it’s society’s fault, or some segment of it .
Also, when a criminal comes to trial, the ditto heads et al will disparage using [the effects of] society as an excuse (even though only defense lawyers actually do that). But in the same conversation, they’ll add “If I had brought that boy up, he’d have learned proper behavior.”
So which is it, insane right wingers? Are we significantly shaped by our environment growing up, or not?
caseloweraz
July 24, 2012 at 8:55 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Doug Little writes (#22): “I thought it was a semi-auto AR-15.”
– http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/20/12854157-aurora-suspect-james-holmes-was-buying-guns-dropping-out-of-graduate-school
You’re right: it was an AR-15, semiautomatic (unless he fiddled with it.) Conversion kits are available online, in his price range. Quoted without link:
jnorris
July 25, 2012 at 12:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m also blaming the Club of Rome!