Kamala Harris and Cory Booker couldn’t wait to pounce on this story that makes Republicans look a little insensitive to victims of gun violence.
Moms who want to keep their kids safe from gun violence don’t deserve this. https://t.co/oQnQatlx4x
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) March 5, 2019
Too many guns are falling into the hands of dangerous people, threatening kids' lives and making our communities less safe. These moms are fighting to confront gun violence and protect our children. They don't deserve to be mocked. We stand with you, @momsdemand. https://t.co/qizaz7a8vi
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 5, 2019
From the Hill:
In images that made the rounds online this week, several Republican legislators could be seen donning the necklaces as lawmakers weighed arguments on a bill designed to establish a procedure for “issuing extreme risk protection orders to protect against persons who pose an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others.”
Critics say that the lawmakers were using “clutching their pearls” imagery to mock the testimony of the gun control activists.
Yeah I’m not sure that was the best choice by these guys. Mocking gun violence victims just doesn’t seem like the best way to advocate for gun rights.
[This has been updated and corrected below!]
Some male legislators in New Hampshire decided to mock gun violence survivors and @MomsDemand by wearing pearls during hearing testimony. Guys—we have the facts on our side, and we look better wearing them, too. @shannonrwatts @EnglishTeach07 @jdianeadams #NHPolitics pic.twitter.com/SW1GFglJmq
— Karen (@mizzouatheart) March 5, 2019
Especially when you know the media is going to run with it:
A group of male GOP New Hampshire lawmakers wore pearls during a hearing on gun control legislation, sparking accusations that they were being sexist.
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) March 6, 2019
Bill sponsor Rep. Debra Altschiller calls it “incredibly disrespectful and troubling.” https://t.co/wrq73Sx5S8 pic.twitter.com/bdclcqTew2
Is that really the smartest court of action? We need to persuade people that we’re right to be against gun control, not just simply “destroy” gun control advocates…
UPDATE!!!
OK, so we’ve been informed by various people in the comments that the media was LYING about this entire episode. I’m not surprised.
I want to say that I really made an honest effort to try to get the “other side” of this when I read the story – I noticed that they didn’t have ANY statement from the legislators they were making assumptions about.
I didn’t find a thing.
So, I apologize for drawing a mistaken conclusion based on faulty reporting, but in my defense, there wasn’t much pushback out there that I could find.
Here’s the issue – Republicans weren’t mocking gun control advocates, they were wearing pearls in support of the Women’s Defense League:
The PEARLS are in support of the Women's Defense League. Women who ACTUALLY PROMOTE GUN SAFETY and WOMEN'S RIGHTS #nhpolitics #HB687 pic.twitter.com/pd0Pjd8ZqT
— Kimberly Morin (@Conservativeind) March 5, 2019
— NHGirl (@LiveFreeOrDie70) March 6, 2019
I stand with @WDLNH because gun rights are women's rights. This is an organization that TRULY teaches gun safety. #2A #guns #DefendTheSecond #gunsense #MomsDemandPearls pic.twitter.com/7tAav3xDU3
— Beth Baumann (@eb454) March 6, 2019
That’s pretty dishonest of the media to run with this based purely on Shannon Watts’ words without seeking an explanation from the lawmakers she smeared. I apologize that we drew that same conclusion.