During the second U.S. Presidential debate, I heard Kamala Harris clearly say that the issues affecting Americans are not being addressed. I agree. In the run up to this debate, there were back-to-back incidents of heinous gun violence across the United States. These tragedies were prominently covered by ABC, the same media network that sponsored and provided moderators for the debate.
Let’s review these recent incidents:
- A rookie police officer was murdered (“executed”) in Dallas, Texas. His name was: Darron Burks;
Dallas police officer fatally shot, 2 more wounded in Oak Cliff Thursday night: officials – https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article291703150.html
- A constable named Fernando Esqueda was killed in Houston, Texas, ambushed in his vehicle by a guy who was upset that his pizza order was not right;
Harris County deputy shot, killed by man who assaulted pizza restaurant employee, officials said
- Four beautiful human beings were shot to death and nine others were injured by a 14-year-old at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.
What We Know About the Victims of the Apalachee High School Shooting
https://time.com/7019306/apalachee-high-school-shooting-victims/
- In Kentucky on I-75 in Laurel County, 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch (Army reservist) took random shots at individuals driving down this highway – 12 vehicles were hit with bullets; five people were hurt: Rebecca Puryear, Norma Liberia, Renee Walker, Janet Booth and Erick Tavin. Couch was previously charged with terroristic threats in Knox County back in February 2024 but those charges were dismissed.
Manhunt for Kentucky highway shooting suspect enters day 7
https://www.wlky.com/article/manhunt-kentucky-i-75-highway-shooting-suspect-laurel-county/62187440
Editor’s Note – Gale Washington: Mr. Couch purchased 1000 rounds of ammunition and an AR-15 just prior to the shooting spree – WHY WOULDN’T THIS SEND UP A RED FLAG? WHY WOULDN’T THIS GUN SHOP (or whoever sold the 1000 rounds) REPORT THIS TO THE LOCAL POLICE?
- A San Francisco 49ers first-round draft pick, rookie Wide Receiver Ricky Pearsall got shot in the chest by a would-be robber after Ricky was signing autographs for fans at Union Square on August 31, 2024.
REMEMBERING CHIEF KEVIN FISHER-PAULSON AND HONORING SFPD SERGEANT JOELLE HARRELL
During the debate, ABC provided both candidates with plenty of opportunity to define themselves on a number of issues. Either candidate, Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, could have easily addressed the topic of gun violence. Apparently, this topic was not a priority for either of them. Considering the millions of viewers watching the debate, one would have thought that this was the perfect opportunity for these candidates to lay out their vision for stopping the violence and promoting public safety.
This issue was also ignored in the first U.S. Presidential debate earlier this year by President Joe Biden and candidate Donald Trump. The moderators from CNN at this debate also did not raise the issue.
WHY?
What is it about the topic of gun violence that produces silence from these presidential hopefuls? Is it the powerful gun lobbyists or is it fear about a negative word about gun access or the need for more regulation on access to weapons will create a backlash at the ballot box on November 5th?
As a journalist, I have always believed that one of the main roles of the media is to hold our elected officials accountable…not to aid them in avoiding contentious topics. How could the news network, ABC, David Muir, Linsey Davis, Donald J. Trump, and Kamala Harris not comment about the massacre at Apalachee High School?
Did you know that this month is National Literacy Month? I strongly believe as a nation…better yet, as a community our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe. Weren’t any of the above victims worth an honorable mention at the debate?
Politicians rarely ever admit their mistakes. Today and throughout the rest of the week, I ask that like-minded journalists and citizens of conscience join me in demanding that both presidential candidates explain their plan that will address gun violence in America.
Let’s not allow them to wait for the next tragedy in order to address this.
In light of the second attempt on the life of U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump, two things are crystal clear: (1) words and hate and divisiveness have power, and (2) the United States of America has a problem that it refuses to acknowledge.
I want to end this piece by honoring those individuals mentioned above because neither candidate had the decency to acknowledge their deaths.
Talk to the NRA and their conservative apologists.
Talk to the liberal from Hawaii with an AR15 and a Biden/Harris bumper sticker on the back of his truck.
More facile, simplistic, laughable “reasoning” from the right. There has never been a “liberal” violence issue in this country, but right wing domestic terror is the greatest threat to this country, per the FBI and DOJ and DHS.
The howls to the contrary from “conservatives” don’t change facts.
Not sure I agree with that – I think it’s too sweeping. For example, in the 60s and early 70s, there were literally thousands of bombs that went off a year in the US – most of that was on the “left” groups like SDS and the Weather Underground, for example.
That was a blip. Overwhelmingly, the violence and threat of violence in this country has come from the right.
I don’t disagree with your overall point.
I think it’s also very telling that we have to go back 50 or 60 years to have an example of liberal or leftist violence.
It’s not zero right now. But it’s well overshadowed.
The article is from July but pretty interesting: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/whats_driving_political_violence_in_america
Thanks for that graph, David, but that’s also worldwide. Worldwide there are actual “leftists,” (of which there is really not much of here due to the Overton Window).
I would be interested in seeing this graph only for the US.
That was isolated incidents for one decade. We’ve faced right wing domestic terror since the Civil War. Seriously. And right wing domestic terror was also the #1 threat to this country around the time of the OK city bombing, and then the 9/11 thing happened right after that and (falsely) shifted the focus.
That was one of the biggest failures of the DOJ–labeling McVeigh as a “lone wolf,” when there were already connected militias and a right wing terror infrastructure even back then. Toobin’s recent book about the bombing was very eye-opening in that regard.
Merrick Garland shrugged and here we are. We had 30 years to shut those groups down, and the DOJ missed their opportunity b/c everything was deflected to foreign terror .
Valid point, David, about the Weather Underground. But since it looks as if we are engaging in historical dialectical materialism, let’s not forget to mention the Pinkertons that attacked union members and Cointelpro which continues to attack folks on the Left. However, let me state clearly that if Kamala Harris wins this election, the violence exhibited by far right-wing organizations against innocent civilians will be unprecedented and savage. It’s always good to recount history, but I’m living in the now. White supremacy is alive and well in America and the enemies of freedom are armed to the teeth. BE ALERT, BE VIGILANT, BE AWARE, AND PROTECT YOUR LOVED ONES.