June 13, 2016

Here Are 25 Statements Republicans Gave About the Massacre in Orlando. Guess Which Word None of Them Used?

They say it when pushing discriminatory legisation but won’t say it now.

YouTube/Anthony Antonello

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In the aftermath of Sunday’s horrific shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando that killed 49 people and injured 53 others, many politicians have extended condolences to the families of the victims and expressed solidarity with the city of Orlando. President Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday, and all three remaining presidential candidates issued statements condemning the attack.

But among responses from conservatives, there’s a trend worth noting: They repeatedly fail to acknowledge that the shooting victims were targeted because they were gay or transgender. Dozens of statements from lawmakers acknowledge “the victims and their families” without mentioning what the victims had in common. Others highlight the role of Islamic radicalization but ignore blatant homophobia. Take a look at these 25 statements on the shooting that sidestep the identity that the victims shared.

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DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And we need your support like never before, to fight back against the existential threats American democracy faces. Fundraising for nonprofit media is always a challenge, and we need all hands on deck right now. We have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

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