U.S.
Politicians Respond to a Weekend of Mass Shootings
Published
4 years agoon

- Politicians are responding to two mass shootings that occurred within 13 hours of each other in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, killing 31 people.
- Democrats are specifically linking the white nationalist motives that allegedly influenced the shooter in El Paso to President Donald Trump’s rhetoric.
- Meanwhile, many Republicans are standing against white nationalism, but are leaving the president out of it.
- Other politicians are bringing up the gun control debate, and some, including President Trump, are pointing to video games as a cause for the violence.
Two Shootings Occur in 13 Hours
Politicians are speaking out after two mass shootings over the course of the weekend left 31 dead and dozens more injured.
On Saturday, a gunman in El Paso, Texas shot and killed 22 people and injured 24 others at a Walmart. Officers believe the alleged shooter left behind manifesto where they described immigrants from the southern border as “invaders.”
The author also said they were “defending” the U.S. from “cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion.” The incident is being investigated as domestic terrorism.
In Dayton, Ohio, thirteen hours after the shooting in El Paso, a shooter went to a popular neighborhood filled with bars. He opened fire wearing a bulletproof vest and a mask, killing nine, including his sister. Another 27 people were injured. Police killed the shooter after 30 seconds.
Gun Control Conversation Starts
When Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine spoke at a vigil on Sunday, the crowd met him with repeated chants of “Do something!”
Chant of “Do Something!” breaks out as OH Gov Mike DeWine speaks at a vigil in #Dayton. @NBCNews @NBCNightlyNews pic.twitter.com/deeditNyQC
— Kate Snow (@tvkatesnow) August 5, 2019
These people were not alone in turning the conversation to gun control legislation.
2020 candidates like Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) spoke about the shootings on Twitter.
Gilroy, California.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 5, 2019
El Paso, Texas.
Dayton, Ohio.
Let’s speak truth: Gun violence is a national emergency in our country.
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) called for Congress to open session so a vote on gun control could happen quickly.
I’m calling on the President to call Congress back into session and Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer to pass the background check bill and ban assault weapons.
— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) August 4, 2019
Some Republicans joined in with similar messaging. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called for red flag laws, which would allow a family member, friend, or law enforcement official to petition for someone’s right to purchase a gun to be restricted if they believe that person is a threat or danger.
May not have mattered here, but Red Flag laws have proven to be effective in states that have them. (2/2)
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 4, 2019
Leaders Condemn White Supremacy
Because of the shooter in El Paso’s motives, many also were quick to speak out against white nationalism. Many pointed to President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, as he has used similar language, including the word “invasion” in the past.
Where could anyone get the idea that illegal immigration is an “invasion” that must be stopped? pic.twitter.com/Fe9G2vY4Sw
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) August 4, 2019
When asked what Trump can do in response to these events, presidential candidate and former Texas representative Beto O’Rourke said, “Members of the press, what the fuck?”
“Connect the dots about what he’s been doing in this country,” O’Rourke continued. “He is not tolerating racism he is promoting racism.”
🔥 "Members of the press, what the f***?" @BetoORourke on the obvious answer to whether @realDonaldTrump is inciting violent #racist attacks.#RacistGOP#RacistInChief
— Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) August 5, 2019
pic.twitter.com/9CIkmZVCWx
Other 2020 candidates also made similar statements. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said Trump is “giving license to this kind of violence.”
One of the lessons in my faith is that you reap what you sow.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 4, 2019
When Donald Trump uses words like “infestation,” “invasion” and “shithole countries”—
When he refuses to condemn Neo-Nazis and white supremacists—
Trump is giving license to this kind of violence. He’s responsible. pic.twitter.com/hf3ugZIO5D
Pete Buttigieg spoke about the incident at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees forum in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“White nationalism is evil, and it is inspiring people to commit murder,” the South Bend, Indiana Mayor said. “And it is being condoned at the highest levels of the American government.”
Republicans also condemned white supremacy but were largely leaving Trump out of it. Acting White House Cheif of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on ABC’s This Week that the shooter in El Paso was “sick” but that “no politician is to blame for that.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) said white supremacy has “no place in this world.“
Violence against another human being because of their ethnicity is one of the most disgusting forms of evil that exists. It must be rooted out, white supremacy has no place in this world.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) August 4, 2019
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called the shooting in El Paso a “heinous act of terrorism.”
We must speak clearly to combat evil in any form it takes. What we saw yesterday was a heinous act of terrorism and white supremacy. There is no place for this in El Paso, in Texas, or anywhere across our nation.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 4, 2019
We are all Americans and we are all standing united with El Paso.
Politicians Point to Video Games
Other politicians had a different approach when responding, with a few arguing that violence in video games was a catalyst for these shootings. The Lt. Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, told Fox News he believed the two were related on Sunday.
“What’s changed in this country? We’ve always had guns. We’ve always had evil,” he said. “But what’s changed where we see this rash of shootings? And I see a video game industry that teaches young people to kill.”
“This was maybe a video game to this evil demon. A video game to him,” he continued. “He has no sense of humanity, no sense of life. He wanted to be a super soldier, for his Call of Duty game.”
“The idea of these video games, they dehumanize individuals to have a game of shooting individuals and others,” he said.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) also appeared on Fox News Sunday to speak about the subject.
“The idea of these video games, they dehumanize individuals to have a game of shooting individuals and others,” he said.
President Trump Responds
President Trump made several comments about the shooting himself. He also linked gun violence to video games during a Monday morning press conference.
“We must stop the glorification of violence in our society,” he said. “This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace. It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence. We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately.”
During the press conference, he also joined the many politicians who condemned white supremacy.
“In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy,” Trump stated. “These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America.”
He also cited mental illness as a factor in shootings.
“Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun,” he said.
On Monday, the president also tweeted about potential gun control legislation but linked to immigration policy.
….this legislation with desperately needed immigration reform. We must have something good, if not GREAT, come out of these two tragic events!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2019
Editor’s Note: At Rogue Rocket, we make it a point to not include the names and pictures of mass murderers or suspected mass murderers who may have been seeking attention or infamy. Therefore, we will not be linking to other sources, as they may contain these details. Instead, we will be linking to donation pages for those impacted by the shootings.
U.S.
Survey and Census Data Shows Record Number of Americans are Struggling Financially
Published
1 week agoon
May 23, 2023By
Star Pralle
Americans are choosing not to pursue medical treatment more and more frequently as they encounter money troubles.
A recent federal survey shows that a record number of Americans were worse off financially in 2022 than a year prior.
Coupled with recent census data showing pervasive poverty across much of the country, Americans are forced to make difficult decisions, like foregoing expensive healthcare.
According to a recent Federal Reserve Bureau survey, 35% of adults say they were worse off in 2022 than 2021, which is the highest share ever recorded since the question was raised in 2014.
Additionally, half of adults reported their budget was majorly affected by rising prices across the country, and that number is even higher among minority communities and parents living with their children.
According to recent census data, more than 10% of the counties in the U.S. are experiencing persistent poverty, meaning the area has had a poverty rate of 20% or higher between 1989 and 2019.
16 states report at least 10% of their population living in persistent poverty. But most of the suffering counties were found in the South — which accounts for over half the people living in persistent poverty, despite making up less than 40% of the population.
These financial realities have placed many Americans in the unfortunate situation of choosing between medical treatment and survival. The Federal Reserve study found that the share of Americans who skipped medical treatment because of the cost has drastically increased since 2020.
The reflection of this can be found in the overall health of households in different income brackets. 75% of households with an income of $25,000 or less report being in good health – compared to the 91% of households with $100,000 or more income.
See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (Federal Reserve)

The ban will likely face legal challenges before it is officially enacted next year.
First Statewide Ban of TikTok
Montana became the first state to ban TikTok on Wednesday after Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed legislation aimed at protecting “Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party.”
The ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, though the law will likely face a handful of legal challenges before that date.
To protect Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party, I have banned TikTok in Montana.
— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) May 17, 2023
Under the law, citizens of the state will not be held liable for using the app, but companies that offer the app on their platforms, like Apple and Google, will face a $10,000 fine per day of violations. TikTok would also be subject to the hefty daily fine.
Questions remain about how tech companies will practically enforce this law. During a hearing earlier this year, a representative from TechNet said that these platforms don’t have the ability to “geofence” apps by state.
Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics, told the Associated Press that app stores could have the capability to enforce the restriction, but it would be difficult to carry out and there would be a variety of loopholes by tools like VPNs.
Montana’s law comes as U.S. politicians have taken aim at TikTok over its alleged ties to the CCP. Earlier this year, the White House directed federal agencies to remove TikTok from government devices. Conservatives, in particular, have been increasingly working to restrict the app.
“The Chinese Communist Party using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented,” Gov. Gianforte said in a Wednesday statement.
Criticism of Montana Law
TikTok, however, has repeatedly denied that it gives user data to the government. The company released a statement claiming Montana’s law “infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people” in the state.
“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” the company said.
The American Civil Liberties Union condemned Montana’s law for similar reasons.
This law tramples on our free speech rights under the guise of national security and lays the groundwork for excessive government control over the internet.
— ACLU (@ACLU) May 17, 2023
Elected officials do not have the right to selectively censor entire social media apps based on their country of origin.
“This law tramples on our free speech rights under the guise of national security and lays the groundwork for excessive government control over the internet,” the ACLU tweeted. “Elected officials do not have the right to selectively censor entire social media apps based on their country of origin.”
Per the AP, there are 200,000 TikTok users in Montana, and another 6,000 businesses use the platform as well. Lawsuits are expected to be filed against the law in the near future.
See what others are saying: (Associated Press) (Fast Company) (CBS News)
U.S.
How a Disney-Loving Former Youth Pastor Landed on The FBI’s “Most Wanted” List
Published
1 month agoon
April 24, 2023By
Star Pralle
“Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Chris Burns’ 19-year-old son pleaded to his father via The Daily Beast.
Multi-Million Dollar Scheme
Former youth pastor turned financial advisor Chris Burns remains at large since going on the run in September of 2020 to avoid a Securities Exchange Commission investigation into his businesses.
Despite his fugitive status, the Justice Department recently indicted Burns with several more charges on top of the $12 million default judgment he received from the SEC.
Burns allegedly sold false promissory notes to investors across Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. The SEC claims he told the investors they were participating in a “peer to peer” lending program where businesses that needed capital would borrow money and then repay it with interest as high as 20%. Burns allegedly also reassured investors that the businesses had collateral so the investment was low-risk.
The SEC says that Burns instead took that money for personal use.
Burns’ History
Burns began his adult life as a youth pastor back in 2007 before transitioning into financial planning a few years later. By 2017, he launched his own radio show, The Chris Burns Show, which was funded by one of his companies, Dynamic Money – where every week Burns would “unpack how this week’s headlines practically impact your life, wallet, and future,” according to the description. He also frequently appeared on television and online, talking about finances and politics.
The SEC alleges that he used his public appearances to elevate his status as a financial advisor and maximize his reach to investors.
His family told The Daily Beast that he became obsessed with success and he reportedly bought hand-made clothes, a million-dollar lakehouse, a boat, several cars, and took his family on several trips to Disney World. His eldest son and wife said that Burns was paying thousands of dollars a day for VIP tours and once paid for the neighbors to come along.
Then in September 2020, he reportedly told his wife that he was being investigated by the Securities Exchange Commission but he told her not to worry.
The day that he was supposed to turn over his business documents to the SEC, he disappeared, telling his wife he was just going to take a trip to North Carolina to tell his parents about the investigation. Then, the car was found abandoned in a parking lot with several cashier’s checks totaling $78,000
FBI’s Most Wanted
The default judgment in the SEC complaint orders Burns, if he’s ever found, to pay $12 million to his victims, as well as over $650,000 in a civil penalty. Additionally, a federal criminal complaint charged him with mail fraud. Burns is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
Last week, the Justice Department indicted him on several other charges including 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud.
“Burns is charged for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from clients in an illegal investment fraud scheme,” Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “Financial crimes of this nature can cause significant disruptions to the lives of those who are victimized, and the FBI is dedicated to holding these criminals accountable.”
His family maintains that they knew nothing of Burns’ schemes. His wife reportedly returned over $300,000 that he had given to her.
She and their eldest son, who is now 19, told The Daily Beast they just want Burns to turn himself in, take responsibility for his actions, and try to help the people he hurt.
“Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Burns’ son said in a message to his father via The Daily Beast.
See what others are saying: (The Daily Beast) (Fox 5) (Wealth Management)

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