NJ Gov Phil Murphy: Shove your thoughts and prayers

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, Pool

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is never going to be confused with Ted Nugent. While the classic rock star is a vocal supporter of the Second Amendment, the governor…isn’t.

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Now, I can accept that people have different opinions on a great many matters, even matters that deal with our civil liberties. I don’t think most gun control supporters are even bad people. I do think it’s important to have a civil debate wherever possible.

I’ll admit that I’m not the most civil person on this matter, though. That’s OK, neither is Murphy.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday renewed a plea for stronger federal and state firearm legislation after mass shootings in Buffalo and other American cities this weekend, telling gun-control opponents and conspiracy theorists they “can shove their ‘thoughts and prayers‘“ and saying “outrage and action“ are long overdue.

The Democratic governor also said he is “very concerned” about the possibility of the U.S. Supreme Court striking down New York state’s concealed carry law and what that means for New Jersey, where the law makes it very difficult to obtain a permit to carry a gun outside your house.

“And as it pertains to Buffalo, cue the hurried backpedaling from the right-wing talking heads and politicians who have so freely and openly peddled the garbage ‘replacement conspiracy’ — I can’t bring myself to call it a theory — and who can’t possibly believe that the words they’ve poisoned our airwaves and rotted our civic dialogue with could actually come home to roost,” he said.

“I think every single one of them knows where they can shove their ‘thoughts and prayers,’” Murphy added.

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OK, Phil, but you don’t ever get to complain about the lack of civility from the right ever again.

Ever.

People need to understand, though, that the “replacement theory” that says white people will be pushed out of the United States is a far cry from the idea that Democrats want to legalize millions of illegal immigrants in an effort to change the voting patterns. That’s pretty much all Republicans have been saying, and it’s not the same thing and anyone with any sense knows it.

However, if we’re going to tell people to “shove it,” then how about you, Gov. Phil Murphy? How about you shove it with your cries for gun control.

We have the gunman’s own words that he decided to target a grocery store in New York because the gun control laws meant he would be unlikely to meet armed resistance for average citizens. We know that he intentionally picked a weapon that would wind people like you up to start calling for still more gun control, and you’re giving him precisely what he wanted.

Freaking brilliant.

So yeah, if you’re going to tell people who simply disagree with you to shove it when they offer since thoughts and prayers, then I’m going to advise you to do the same when you push discredited policies that the shooter explicitly cites and why he chose that grocery store.

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Murphy took issue with the upcoming Supreme Court decision on NYSRPA vs Bruen, knowing it will expand concealed carry; as if the extensive laws restricting concealed carry in New York did a damn thing to stop this nutbar from shooting 10 innocent people.

The truth is, if NYSRPA vs. Bruen had been decided a year ago, it’s entirely possible that this shooting never would have happened.

But hey, we all know that Phil Murphy will look for any excuse to demonize firearms. For that, he can “shove it,” too.

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