Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

No one could have predicted…

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

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Correction?

by | 97 Comments

This post is in: 

In one of the stories that came out immediately after the Stoneman Douglas massacre, a Parkland parent, Dr. John Crescitelli, was quoted in the Guardian and I posted about it here. Someone claiming to be Dr. Crescitelli just sent me a note via our contact form. Here it is, FWIW:

This is Dr. John Crescitelli. My comments were taken somewhat out of context. I believe in Universal back-round checks that include mental health data, which would close the Gun Show loopholes. No high capacity magazines over ten rounds on any firearm. Finally, No sales of any weapon under the age of 21, and a ban on all semi automatic high velocity high capacity rifles, like the AR-15. We must fight to stop the insanity. See you in Washington in just few weeks!

I hope that’s really him – if not, it’s still a good sentiment. If you can’t make it to DC with me and Dr. C on March 24th, here’s a list of local marches.

Open thread.

Update: If you were wondering why FedEx wasn’t distancing itself from the NRA, ThinkProgress has a theory based on a leaked internal memo.

Reader Interactions

97Comments

  1. 1.

    Chet Murthy

    I’ve started to notice that the MSD leaders are tweeting and meeting with Dems, and also other activists like BLM. They continue to “go the high road”, asking/demanding that people like Ryan take action. But interestingly (to me) the only approving tweets I see from them (about pols) are all for Dems. And I haven’t seen any dunking, except of GrOPers and their assorted (crypto-)Nazi hangers-on.

    ETA: as a socially-awkward adult who was a massively sociall-awkward kid, I can only applaud what I believe is a conscious strategy.

  2. 2.

    Mnemosyne

    I have a certain amount of decision power at work over whether packages get shipped out via UPS or FedEx.

    UPS it is.

  3. 3.

    billcoop4

    It is either conscious or….here are the folks who are supporting us. We support them. That double statement could include GOPers if they wanted in.

    And they don’t.

    BC

  4. 4.

    Mnemosyne

    @Chet Murthy:

    They needed to start out being non-partisan, because there was always a slight chance that this would be the mass murder that finally shook the Republican Party awake, and they didn’t want to automatically shut off any support from that quarter.

    But Dems have been speaking up and Republicans have not, so a natural tilt to Democrats is happening.

  7. 7.

    John Revolta

    I remember reading Dr. C’s comments and being appalled, (what kinda doctor is this?) and hoping his daughter heard them as well. It seems likely to me that she did, or heard about them later, and that she may have been working on the old man. And if so, good for her!

  9. 9.

    Jeffro

    @rikyrah: “Jared! We have to at least pretend to be following protocol/common sense/the law/secure procedures!! Next thing, you’ll be telling me that you owe massive amounts of debt to hostile foreign powers or something!”

  10. 10.

    Sebastian

    That thing with FedEx is no secret. It’s in my opinion the best way to cripple the ammosexuals.

    Boycott FedEx until they stop it. Annihilate their stock, that will get the board’s attention.

  11. 11.

    JanieM

    I’m not on Facebook, so maybe I’m not seeing the entire list of local marches at the link in the OP. But there aren’t any listed for Maine in what I can see, so I’ve been googling around to find them. Here’s a good list, which has been expanding day by day.

  14. 14.

    Mnemosyne

    @rikyrah:

    Oh, I’m sure he was telling dad-in-law all about them. What he wasn’t doing was telling the US government about them. And probably for good reason. ?

  15. 15.

    dr. bloor

    ThinkProgress has a theory based on a leaked internal memo.

    File this one under, “No Shit, Sherlock” There’s good money in being a gun mule.

  16. 16.

    Waratah

    I was pleased to see several marches are planned in Texas.
    Very surprised to see one planned for Boise Idaho.

  18. 18.

    Major Major Major Major

    @John Revolta: I assume it was live? during a live interview, a stressed and unprepared person can often fall back on cached wisdom and overheard talking points. I could easily see a gun control moderate in such a situation scrambling for something to say and ending up with what he said.

  21. 21.

    different-church-lady

    @Sebastian:

    Boycott FedEx until they stop it.

    The problem is I’ve been boycotting FedEx for years. They’re complete fuck-ups, and they show no interest in caring that they fuck up.

  26. 26.

    Schlemazel

    @Mnemosyne:
    USPS is cheaper and actually delivers most of UPS packages.

    Also they support high paying, benefit providing jobs for more than 500,000 Americans

  28. 28.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Major Major Major Major: Related, but different issue. FedEx will allow gun owners to directly ship their firearm without having to go through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). So if you have a gun and you need to have a repair done under warranty you can send it back to the manufacturer directly and they can ship it directly back to you. Similarly if you decide you want to have custom work on it – new sights, the action tuned for competition, having it refinished, etc – you can ship it directly to the custom gunsmith and they can ship it directly back to you. But this has to be done via priority overnight. Because that’s what the law says. UPS, the USPS, and, as far as I know, DHL will only do this between FFLs.

    What ThinkProgress is reporting is that FedEx has cut a special, previously unknown agreement with most if not all of the gun manufacturers and the NRA to allow them to ship directly to and from FFLs (who sell the firearms) using less costly shipping options.

  29. 29.

    Sebastian

    @different-church-lady:

    This has to become a widespread boycott. Calling campaigns to retail companies urging them to drop FedEx. Calling PR departments of Fortune 500 about their use of FedEx and support of guns.

    You paint FedEx with NRA and make them toxic. Fuck em.

  31. 31.

    Corner Stone

    Back to Jar Jar, it looks like the IC is coming for him with both barrels. That’s a shotgun reference, BTW.

  36. 36.

    Mnemosyne

    @Schlemazel:

    I don’t have that much control, unfortunately. Just between UPS and FedEx.

    Also, USPS isn’t as good for overseas packages, which is a lot of what we send.

  37. 37.

    BC in Illinois

    In St Louis, the Riverfront Times has the info. “St Louis Students Organize March for our Lives on March 24.”

    Saturday, March 24, 10am, start at Union Station, go to the Arch.

    And the local “Moms Demand Action” chapter can no longer fit into the Webster Groves Library Meeting Room. They will meet this Thursday at the Hixson Middle School Auditorium. Things are moving. Even in Missouri.

  39. 39.

    Wild Cat

    “This is Dr. John Crescitelli. My comments were taken somewhat out of context. I believe in Universal back-round checks . . . ”

    “Back-round” checks. Great Freudian slip.

    Let’s hope he also supports present and future round checks for all people who are subject to background checks.

  42. 42.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Mnemosyne:

    I have a certain amount of decision power at work over whether packages get shipped out via UPS or FedEx.

    UPS it is.

    FedEx is virulently anti-union, and its founder and CEO is a rabid right winger.

    UPS actually invited unions to organize its workforce.

  44. 44.

    GregB

    The WV teacher’s strike is ending. Gov. Buford T. Justice announces 5% pay raise.

    Also, after lying for two years, it is confirmed that Roger Stone was in direct contact Julian Assholenge.

  45. 45.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Steve in the ATL:

    UPS actually invited unions to organize its workforce.

    Did they do it by height? Weight? Hair color? Eye color? And what shapes were they organized into? Circles? Triangles? Squares? Dodecahedrons?

  48. 48.

    Amir Khalid

    @Adam L Silverman:
    If the law (federal, right?) specifies priority overnight shipping for guns, and FedEx is allowing gun makers to use some other, presumably less secure method, isn’t there a violation here for which some agency (the Bureau of Soft Drinks, Tobacco and Firearms* is my guess) can sanction FedEx?

    *Futurama reference

  50. 50.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Amir Khalid: I’m not sure about the rules that cover what the manufacturers and and others FFL holders have to follow. So the honest answer here is I don’t know.

  53. 53.

    Steve in the ATL

    @different-church-lady:

    OK, how about this: “FedEx: they’ll deliver your gun to the wrong house and never go back and pick it up.”

    Or, how about this: “FedEx: they’ll deliver your gun to a black person’s house and never go back and pick it up.”

  56. 56.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    The capitalist dogs will cheaply and efficiently ship us the rifles with which we will exterminate them! Onward, comrades!

  57. 57.

    Mike J

    @Corner Stone:

    When what you care about the most absolutely has to go through Memphis, TN to get there. Trust us.”

    Working the ramp used to be the best job in the world for college students. You could do it high, you got $13/hr in the 80s, and you could jumpseat anywhere in the world on your day off. I knew a guy who saw the Dead 100 times more than I would ever want to and always flew free.

  58. 58.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Wild Cat:

    “This is Dr. John Crescitelli. My comments were taken somewhat out of context. I believe in Universal back-round checks . . . ”

    “Back-round” checks. Great Freudian slip.

    Possibly Freudian (and should have been caught and corrected before hitting “Send”), but I would bet that the doctor was using the dictation feature and the recording/transcribing device got it wrong. I think most doctors use voice-enabled technology these days to keep patients’ charts updated, so it’s probably just what Dr. Crescitelli is used to.

  60. 60.

    randy khan

    This is an excerpt from a post on a thread I started on Facebook yesterday about telling politicians not to take money from the NRA:

    I own semi-automatic rifles and pistols, bolt action rifles, lever action rifles, double barrel shotguns, pump action shot guns, single action revolvers and double action revolvers and I can fire all my weapons at rates that would give you a heart attack.

    Leaving aside the evident hyperbole at the end, this is a minimum of 16 guns. Why in the world does anyone need 16 guns? (No, he’s not a friend; he went to my high school and luckily is several hundred miles away from me.)

  61. 61.

    John Revolta

    @Major Major Major Major:

    John Crescitelli, a family doctor and 15 year-old Sarah Crescitelli’s father, was shaking as he was reunited with his daughter. He feared she had been killed.

    “These school shootings have to stop. This is crazy. My son’s football coach died. It’s horrible,” he said. “It’s like Columbine across the street from my house.”

    Asked by the Guardian if the tragedy should lead to stricter gun control for people with mental health issues, he replied: “I don’t want to get into a gun debate. I really don’t. What are you going to do? Confiscate everybody’s guns? We have millions and millions of weapons … I’m a gun owner. I don’t want the government taking my gun.”

    Yeah, sounds pretty live. So, I’ll give him that.

    But I’m still imagining a lotta ” DA-deeeeeeee”…………..

  63. 63.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Or he could have composed the e-mail on a tablet or phone and used the same godforsaken speech-to-text function that everybody here butchers their comments with on a daily basis. Occam’s razor, people.

  64. 64.

    Mnemosyne

    @John Revolta:

    Yeah, asking a guy about gun control as he’s picking his kid up immediately after the shooting is pretty much the definition of an ambush interview. I don’t blame the guy for not being able to come up with a coherent policy in that moment.

  65. 65.

    Corner Stone

    @John Revolta:

    “I don’t want to get into a gun debate. I really don’t. What are you going to do? Confiscate everybody’s guns? We have millions and millions of weapons … I’m a gun owner. I don’t want the government taking my gun.”

    Fuck him. Fuck him up his stupid ass.

  67. 67.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @John Revolta:

    We have millions and millions of weapons … I’m a gun owner. I don’t want the government taking my gun.”

    Yeah. Also, that ellipsis may be carrying a heavy burden; we don’t know.

  68. 68.

    Adam L Silverman

    @randy khan:

    Why in the world does anyone need 16 guns?

    Well he bought one, but it was lonely all by itself. So he bought a second one. And then he decided he needed a third one to protect his first two guns. But that third one got lonely, so he had to get a fourth one. And then every time he’d wind up with an odd number, he’d need one more so that all his guns had a partner and things just got way out of hand.

  78. 78.

    scav

    @Adam L Silverman: But are they splitters or lumpers in their catacorization efforts? We might just be heading towards wee little grouplets of 5′ 7 3/4” Southern Europeans that like succotash without green peppers but only with lard, not butter.

  82. 82.

    GregB

    Did anyone else notice how damn relaxed Rick Gates looked in his latest court appearance?

    He must now know that the power shift is under afoot. The floor is giving way under Trump.

  89. 89.

    Duane

    My how quickly the republicans have turned on LEOs. They’ve tossed the Broward Co. Sheriff’s Department under the bus to save the NRA. Turned on the IC to protect Trump. Told police unions to take a hike in favor of their pay masters.

    Will our LEO’s ever learn. Republicans don’t support you, they use you. Jaguars eat faces.

  90. 90.

    Another Scott

    @randy khan: I’ve mentioned my favorite uncle had around 30 guns. Let’s see:

    .45 automatic
    .44 magnum
    .357 magnum
    over-under (rifle/shotgun combo)
    …

    No AR-15 or AK-47 or anything like that, though. But he had a variety of pistols and rifles and shotguns.

    They add up.

    I remember going out in the country with him and a friend to shoot the pistols (with hearing protectors) at a railroad tie backstop on his friend’s farm. We were maybe 30 feet (?) from it. I shot the .44 magnum a couple of times and the final time the slug bounced back and landed at my feet. It was an amazing mangle of metal. We backed up another 10 feet after that… :-/

    During that same time I was using a different pistol and pulled the trigger and nothing happened. So I pulled it again and nothing happened. My uncle very carefully took the gun from me and carefully unloaded it. (It’s very dangerous for a shell not to fire when it’s supposed to, because it might decide to fire later.)

    That was my first and last time I went shooting. It was enough. I’ve never felt the urge to get one, myself, but I understand why someone might want a dozen or more. Not that I think they should be able to have them, though…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  91. 91.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Another Scott: For the non-ammosexual gun owners, they are tools. Depending on what one wants to do, different tools are appropriate. For some, a couple of screwdrivers, and a pair of pliers is enough. Others have cases of tools. And some call a professional anytime need anything done.

  95. 95.

    sdhays

    @Corner Stone: I’d agree, but what gives me pause is that “…”. It’s entirely possible that what was left out at least partially changed the point he was trying to make. And he may have just been babbling (the quote sort of sounded that way to me); in traumatic situations, sometimes people are still processing what’s happened and don’t actually know what they think yet, especially having been steeped in gun-nut propaganda for so long. If this is a real correction, I say welcome and let’s get this done.

  97. 97.

    Corner Stone

    @sdhays: It’s strange because there is no reporting of what was said in the “…” part. It seems like maybe he wished he had stayed quiet during that stressful time. I guess we’ll see where this goes next.

Comments are closed.