Marco Rubio slams Miami Heat’s demand for gun reform after Texas school shooting

In the aftermath of the elementary school bloodbath in Uvalde, Texas, the Miami Heat used a pre-game second to induce followers to contact U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, each Florida Republicans, “demanding their support for common sense gun laws” — and telling them they’ll “make change at the ballot box.”

Rubio, who’s up for re-election this fall, didn’t prefer it.

He took to Twitter on Thursday, lambasting the NBA for “politicizing a horrific tragedy in America.”

The push for gun legal guidelines got here from the world announcer earlier than the beginning of Wednesday night time’s Eastern Conference Finals recreation, instantly after a second of silence in honor of the 19 youngsters and two academics who had been killed Tuesday at Robb Elementary School. It was broadcast to a nationwide cable TV viewers on ESPN.

“The Heat urges you to contact your state senators by calling 202-224-3121 to leave a message demanding their support for common sense gun laws. You can also make change at the ballot box. Visit heat.com/vote to register and let your voice be heard this fall,” the assertion mentioned. Many followers could possibly be heard cheering because the announcement was made.

Rubio argued that the NBA doesn’t have the ethical authority to make such judgments as a result of the league has been trying to develop the market for basketball in China, the place Uyghur Muslims are topic to widespread repression, together with imprisonment and holding them involuntarily in “re-education” camps.

“The @NBA doesn’t like to talk about the billions they make from a China that enslaves Uyghur Muslims and harvests their organs. But they have no problem politicizing a horrific tragedy in America,” Rubio mentioned in his tweet.

The gun management message truly got here from the Heat — not the NBA or the Celtics.

The earlier message of mourning was from all three:

“The Heat organization, the Boston Celtics and the NBA family also mourn those who lost their lives in the senseless shooting that took place yesterday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends and the entire Robb Elementary School and Uvalde community. Our hope is that the families, friends, coworkers and loved ones of all of those impacted by this tragedy will find the comfort and strength they need as they carry on in honor of those whose lives were lost. We now ask that you join us in a moment of silence for those no longer with us.”

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Democrats have their say

Rubio is the one politicizing the problem, mentioned former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, now a senior adviser for Giffords, the anti-gun violence group based by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was significantly wounded in an assassination try.

“The only ones politicizing the discussion and debate around gun violence are the politicians who are refusing to do anything about it,” Mucarsel-Powell mentioned in a web-based news convention organized by the Florida Democratic Party.

She mentioned Rubio would pay a political value for opposition to proposals similar to common background checks for gun consumers.

“This issue will determine the 2022 election. Mark my words. I know what I’m talking about,” mentioned Mucarsel-Powell, who served one time period in Congress from a Miami-Dade County primarily based district. She misplaced her marketing campaign for re-election in 2020.

“After the horrific shootings of the Sandy Hook Elementary and the Pulse nightclub, Senator Rubio chose outrage over any source of political courage. He has voted repeatedly against crucial legislation that would save the lives of our children. We’ve seen time and time again how Marco Rubio has stood on the NRA and the gun lobby and not on the side of parents and kids that have been pleading with him to do something,” Mucarsel-Powell mentioned.

During the identical news convention, Mary Ann Ruiz, chairwoman of the Ruth’s List Miami group, mentioned Rubio’s Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Orlando, a former police chief, would do a greater job.

“Either we vote for the guy who says to our faces: ‘I’m not doing anything. I never will. Children and teachers will keep dying. Live with it.’ Or we hold on to a sliver of hope and vote for someone new,” Ruiz mentioned.

Ruth’s List is a political group that helps feminine Democratic candidates who help abortion rights.

Rubio says extra

Appearing Wednesday night on the Fox News present “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Rubio mentioned it’s important to focus not as a lot on how a mass shooting occurred however why somebody dedicated such a heinous act.

“It’s not about the ‘how’ necessarily but the ‘why’ in the sense that these are people that want to harm people on a mass scale, and the instruments they use, in many cases, are guns. But that sentiment of wanting to hurt people is the one we need to really focus on.”

He mentioned precedence needs to be positioned on efforts to conduct threat assessments that would establish individuals who would possibly commit a mass shooting.

“It has to be multidisciplinary. You have to have input from all kinds of places. So it might be a law enforcement interaction combined with what a school counselor or teacher is seeing, combined with what a family member or a parent is reporting. And then all of these things come into a central location….. It’s a really useful tool, and it’s one that we should use more.”

Rubio warned that “there’s someone out there right now that’s going to be the next school shooter, because they’re watching this stuff on TV, and it’s going to inspire them to act. It’s a terrible thing.”

Demings weighs in

At a Pembroke Pines rally Wednesday night, Demings lamented the Texas bloodbath — and faulted Rubio on the gun difficulty.

“I’m broken at what happened,” Demings mentioned. “When we, yet again, as the greatest nation in the world, watched 19 children and two adults be gunned down, doggone it, Broward County, we can do better than that.”

She mentioned “the most powerful nation in the world” that has “the most powerful and most capable military in the world” has the power to “keep innocent people from getting gunned down.”

“Your senior senator, Marco Rubio, has only offered thoughts and prayers. Nothing wrong with thoughts and prayers but faith without works is dead. Get up off your knees and do something about it,” Demings mentioned.