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The Other Topic Republicans Avoided In Response To The Orlando Shooting

The American flag is flown at half staff over the White House in Washington, Sunday, June 12, 2016, after President Barack Obama spoke about the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando. CREDIT: AP PHOTO/MANUEL BALCE CENETA
The American flag is flown at half staff over the White House in Washington, Sunday, June 12, 2016, after President Barack Obama spoke about the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando. CREDIT: AP PHOTO/MANUEL BALCE CENETA

The largest mass shooting perpetrated by a single gunman in U.S. history took place early Sunday in Orlando’s Pulse gay club. As the terrible news circulated, Republican members of Congress responded with lots of “thoughts and prayers” and no discussion of the role easy access to an AR-15 might’ve had in the massacre. Instead, they latched on to Omar Mateen’s professed allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS).

Given the precedent, that’s not surprising. But there’s another topic Republicans avoided. While suspected shooter Omar Mateen’s motives remain unclear, his father told NBC News Mateen became angry when he witnessed two men kissing in Miami recently. That homophobia prompted many Democratic members of Congress to pledge solidarity with the LGBT community.

Republicans, meanwhile, avoided mentioning LGBT people altogether.

Many more Republican responses with that omission could be cited.

While the difference between the how the two parties framed their responses was stark, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) provided an exception to the rule. “We stand for and with all Americans, irrespective of their sexual orientation, irrespective of their party ideology, irrespective of where they live. We are all Americans,” Rubio said during a press briefing.

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There’s a reason most Republicans are hesitant to acknowledge LGBT people — they continue to push measures that discriminate against them.