I had an internal debate over writing about Rep. Thomas Massie. It’s what he wants, after all. An attention hog and provocateur, there’s nothing he enjoys more than smirking at those who react like their hair is on fire every time he issues one of his incendiary belches.
Anything said about the Republican from Lewis County will ultimately make little difference. It will do no good because, among other things, the man is shameless, cocksure of his infallibility and dismissive of those with contrary views. Nothing anyone says will change his mind or sway his thousands of supporters who think his vile meanderings are great fun, regardless of the filth he chooses to disseminate.
It’s a lost cause. I get it.
But there comes a time when evil can’t be ignored, otherwise, it is certain to contaminate whatever it touches. To paraphrase the late William F. Buckley, sometimes you need to stand athwart history and yell stop.
Consider this a cry to stop.
Several days ago, Massie posted what passes for a Twitter Christmas card. It’s a family gathering in front of a Christmas tree in what appears to be a large room at his farm. Massie is seated on a couch along with, presumably, his wife and a young daughter with three young men and a young woman, perhaps additional offspring, lined up behind.
All of them are smiling. And they are handling various sorts of military-grade weapons. The New York Post reports Massie is holding what appears to be an M60 machine gun. Others are armed with AR-15 semi-automatic rifles and a Thompson submachine gun.
The accompanying message reads: “Merry Christmas! ps. Santa, please bring ammo.”
The missive exhibits the soullessness that truly separates Massie from the rest of the right-wing crowd. Rather than celebrate the birth of the Christ child, bringing the hope and promise of peace on earth and goodwill toward men, Massie is worshipping an arsenal of death, an idol, a veritable golden calf, basically repudiating the man Christians view as their savior.
If that’s the route Massie chooses to take, fine, that’s his business. Worship what you will.
But some things are unforgivable.
On Nov. 30, Ethan Crumbley, 15, opened fire at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, MI, using a pistol provided to him by his parents as an early Christmas present. Four students were killed, six were wounded, as was a teacher.
Massie posted the Twitter card, showing him grinning like a goon, four days later.
There’s right and wrong, there’s decency and indecency. Massie, as always, comes down on the wrong route.
In this year alone, there have been 30 school shootings resulting in 14 deaths – 14 kids martyred and Thomas Massie celebrates their memory at Christmastime with a grin and a gun.
He’s dancing on their graves.
Massie is an unapologetic gun nut. He formed the Second Amendment Caucus in the House to foster gun rights. He is feuding with the National Rifle Association, maintaining the organization isn’t sufficiently pro-gun. He opposes any and all efforts to restrict gun circulation.
America is paying the price. According to the gun violence archive, as of Monday, the nation has experienced 41,643 gun-related deaths. Most are suicides, but they are just as dead as all the others. There has also been, according to the Archive, 655 mass shootings and 27 mass murders.
And there Thomas Massie sits, fondling a gun, sitting in front of the Christmas tree, begging for ammunition.
Massie should be ashamed and he is not alone. The people of the 4th Congressional District who send him to Washington every two years like clockwork should be ashamed for electing a man unworthy of the office. And the political parties in Northern Kentucky – both Democrat and Republican – should be ashamed for failing to field acceptable, competitive candidates to take his place.
So he’ll likely be going back, where he will serve as a nuisance to all concerned, fail to get anything done and worship guns.
Every time I write about this subject my mind turns to a cold winter day in Newtown, Conn., in 2012, where tots, babies, six and seven years old are learning their ABCs at Sandy Hook Elementary School, wondering what Santa will bring them for Christmas. A doll? A puppy maybe?
They never found out. Twenty of these precious children, and six staff members, were gunned down for no earthly reason by Adam Lanza, 20, who then committed suicide.
Babies. Torn apart by the guns Thomas Massie worships. And in the aftermath, nobody did a damn thing. Thoughts and prayers. Innocent families destroyed. And the beat goes on.
The anniversary, Dec. 14, 2012, is quickly approaching. Those kids would be in high school now with the whole world in front of them.
Maybe Tom can celebrate by dancing on their graves too.
And don’t forget, by voting against the Infrastructure bill, he effectively voted against a new Brent Spence bridge. Is that who Northern Kentucky voters want to represent them?
Well said, Bill! The Republicans should throw him in with Hal Rogers in redistricting eastern KY, which has lost population. Hal would easily defeat him, and NKY would be rid of a representative who has no talent for governing, but does well in bringing attention to himself by his off the wall antics.