Five years to the day after the mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, President Trump completely ignored the occasion. He did not make and commemorative remarks, nor did he release a statement decrying the sad anniversary.
Instead, he did something that was sure to be interpreted as a cruel and thoughtless rejoinder to the parents of the 20 young children who were killed and survivors of the 6 school teachers and staff who were also murdered by Adam Lanza in the fourth-deadliest mass shooting by a single person in U.S. history.
He invited Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the NRA, which has fought tooth and nail to prevent any meaningful gun regulation that could help prevent a recurrence of massacres like the Sandy Hook disaster, to the White House “Christmas” Party. Perhaps it should be referred to as the White House “Xmas” party since there is no evidence in the Bible that Christ would bless an administration so single-mindedly opposed to the ideals of peace and the golden rule as Trump’s.
Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America, an anti-gun violence organization, posted a tweet noting the insult and showing LaPierre enjoying a holiday that the victims of the gun violence he enables will never get to enjoy.
Yesterday was the 5 year mark of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook School, which went unacknowledged by the President. On the same day, he hosted a White House Christmas party to which he invited @NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre. Here he is at the party with @DanPatrick. pic.twitter.com/mUbKCIWGxB
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) December 15, 2017
Watts also reminded everyone that it wasn’t always this way.
In each of the past 4 years, President Obama invited gun violence prevention activists, gun violence survivors (including the Sandy Hook families) and supportive lawmakers to his Christmas party. Zero gun lobbyists were in attendance. pic.twitter.com/QePW9FtbSh
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) December 15, 2017
She also revealed the real reason that Trump invited the NRA CEO to his party.
Just remember, the @NRA’s CEO has a literal seat at Trump’s table (and an invite to his Christmas party) because the NRA was the largest outside donor to his campaign at more than $30M. pic.twitter.com/a7Qw8cD3wb
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) December 15, 2017
Only the most deplorable get to visit the White House this Christmas.
Let’s hope that LaPierre and Trump get a visit from the ghost of Christmas past tonight to show them the consequences of both their action and inactions when it comes to gun violence. Perhaps it will take a supernatural reckoning to inspire a Christmas change of heart towards sensible gun regulations.
