Floyd Corkins, the man who attempted to enter the Family Research Council’s headquarters in DC and shoot people has been sentenced to 45 years in jail.
The Conservatives and the Far Right have been trying to use this story to condemn the Southern Poverty Law Project, because they list the American Family Association as well as others, as hate groups on their web site. But while such a slam may allow some on the right to feel self righteous, the claim really doesn’t fit. There is no comparison to the SPLC’s web site and those of the Pro-Life groups which overtly advocate for violence and assassination. For example, the linked story from a pro-conservative site uses the language “at the ideological behest of the SPLC…” Behest means at a person’s orders or command. Yet, there is nothing at all to tie this guy to the SPLC, nor can the SPLC website be misconstrued as to encourage violence in any way.
The homo-haters have been out to get the SPLC due to their monitoring of hate and extremism. Being listed as a hate group signifies the lack of validity a group has when it comes to real dialogue and discourse, and they fight, tooth and nail, to be able to claim that anti-gay lies and misinformation is not hate speech.
But I wonder if this is really a story about the need to stop gun violence with better laws:
Corkins, 28, told authorities he initially wanted to make a bomb but did not have the patience. He bought a gun in Virginia the week before the shooting and received private firearms training the night before his attack.
Violence is never the answer to solving differences of political opinions, and no matter who enacts the violence and against whom, it is wrong, and should be punished. But what really made it possible for this guy to do the harm he did? The ease at which he bought and transported a gun.
Most interesting to me, in this case, is that Corkins was carrying a list of potential targets and the Bible verse, ‘With God all things are possible.’ Was this a prayer to support his actions?
I can’t find anything that links this guy to any progressive or LGBTQ group or organization, but the story shows that anyone on any side can choose violence, and it accomplishes nothing positive.
The linked story is especially poor and can’t be labeled much except propaganda. Titled, “Floyd Corkins II – The Mass Shooter Gunman The Leftist Media Avoids,” the purpose of the post is clear. While convicted, Corkins was not a mass shooter. He wounded only a security guard. As bad as that is, it is a far cry from being a mass shooter. Additionally, links are below to “the leftist media’s covering of the story.
via Floyd Corkins II – The Mass Shooter Gunman The Leftist Media Avoids….. | The Last Refuge.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/floyd-corkins
Note: This is an interesting comparison of Journalist tweets regarding this story. I think “journalist” may not be the most appropriate term for some of these folks, but worth a look anyway: http://muckrack.com/topic/Floyd%20Corkins