Mark Stone, a journalist for the U.K.-based Sky News, confronted Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) this week over gun policy following the school shooting in the Texas city of Uvalde in which 19 children and 2 adults were killed. Republicans like Cruz consistently push back on the prospect of clamping down on access to firearms, even as casualties from mass shooting incidents — which do not happen at this scale in other corners of the so-called Western world — mount.
“Is this the moment to reform gun laws?” Stone asked. “You know, it’s easy to go to politics,” Cruz dismissively responded. It’s not just politics, Ted! It’s what could be the difference between people living or dying in future incidents similar to what happened in Uvalde. The fact that Republicans — some of them, at least — refuse to even engage on the issue of gun laws in certain contexts is disgraceful and utterly ridiculous. What else are these legislators supposed to be doing if not… legislating? “But it’s important. It’s at the heart of the issue,” Stone replied back at Cruz. “I get that that’s where the media likes to go,” Cruz responded, again flatly dismissing the concerns Stone was raising. “It’s where many of the people we’ve talked to here like to go,” Stone replied, discussing the gun control conversation. “If you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have — none of them would have stopped this,” Cruz claimed.
The moment to stop Uvalde was right after Sandy Hook. After Santa Fe High. After El Paso.
Instead, Abbott made it easier to carry guns in public.
The moment to stop the next slaughter is right now.
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 24, 2022
Cruz has pushed the idea of having more armed personnel on school campuses. Armed personnel were apparently at the Uvalde school where the shooting took place before the attacker ever entered the building, and the shooter was nonetheless able to get inside the premises and carry out the attack. Additional guns were already there, and it didn’t work. For Cruz to push the idea anyway seems like the definition of bad faith political theater that disgraces those who could use actual help, not Republican arm-waving. “But why does this only happen in your country? I really think that’s what many people around the world just… they cannot fathom. Why only in America? Why is this American exceptionalism so awful?” Stone subsequently asked the Senator. “You know, I’m sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful,” Cruz petulantly blurted out in response. After a bit more crosstalk, Cruz simply walked away. Check out the exchange below:
"Why only in America?"
US Senator Ted Cruz walks away from @Stone_SkyNews after being asked if "this is the moment to reform gun laws" https://t.co/d2oBaP4KvW#TedCruz #America #Texasshooting #gunlaws pic.twitter.com/gL4TYeg04t
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 26, 2022
