Sen. Blumenthal: Gun Control Push 'Just Like That Civil Rights Movement'

Sen. Richard “Dick” Blumenthal is known for saying some stuff that he probably shouldn’t have. For example, he probably shouldn’t have said he was a Vietnam veteran when he wasn’t, for example. That was probably not the best move in the world.

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However, it seems that he also needs to understand a history lesson or two, and it’s history he should actually remember.

You see, on Wednesday, Blumenthal compared the gun control movement to “that civil rights movement.”

Democrats held a rally on Capitol Hill yesterday to help the push for passage of ever more gun control laws. One of the speakers, Connecticut Senator ‘Da Nang’ Dick Blumenthal, likened the effort — seeking to impinge on Americans’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, enumerated civil right — to the civil rights movement of the 1960’s.

Because that’s what democracy looks like. Or something.

Chris Murphy and I are both from Connecticut. … And we are haunted every day by what we saw at Sandy Hook, as are so many of you who have seen it first hand. And I want to say thank you to the loved ones, to the families, to the survivors who are here today. We’re gonna be hearing from you. You are carrying photographs.

Newtown Action Alliance is here represented by Po Murray. Many other groups from Connecticut and elsewhere. I want to say thank you for building this movement. It is just like that civil rights movement. It is being led by people all over the country who have the courage to say enough is enough. Enough is enough. Enough is enough.

Except the civil rights movement was about giving people rights, the rights they should have enjoyed as Americans all along. The anti-gun movement is trying to take rights away from people.

So, it’s just like “that civil rights movement” except it’s the complete and total opposite of it.

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And I’m sorry, but that phrasing. The phrase “that civil rights movement” seems condescending as hell, like he’s talking about some kids and the treehouse they built in the back yard or something. It has an almost “it’s cute you thought you were real people” tone to it, don’t you think?

Or maybe you don’t. I don’t know.

What I do know, however, is that Blumenthal is insane if he honestly believes that there is any real similarity between groups like March For Our Lives and the civil rights movement. If Dr. King were marching to beef up segregation or something, he might have had a point, but that didn’t happen. It didn’t happen because it would be insane to ask for your rights to be curtailed.

Yet that’s what gun control is all about.

Frankly, Blumenthal’s comments are disgusting for just that reason. I’m sorry, but you don’t get to invoke the spirit of the civil rights movement for every push you see just because you agree with the message.

Sen. Blumenthal, gun rights are civil rights. We stand for the civil liberties of each and every American, which includes them having the right to secure the means of defending those rights from attack. Dr. King understood that quite well. It’s just too bad that neither senator from Connecticut gets it.

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