In the wake of Wednesday's fatal shooting at Fort Hood military base in his home state of Texas, Rep. Pete Olson has conflicting emotions.
"I have a heavy heart this afternoon and I've got a deep anger, as well," the Republican lawmaker told "The Steve Malzberg Show" Thursday on Newsmax TV.
He said his heart was heavy over the pain and suffering of the victims and their families.
The anger is toward what Olson described as a rush by liberals to politicize the issue – particularly one woman who Olson said attacked him on Twitter Wednesday evening after he tweeted urging his followers to pray. Olson said that woman responded to his tweet that the victims didn't need prayers, they needed comprehensive gun control legislation.
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"Outrageous, outrageous," Olson said. "I'm angry about that, but again, overall my heart hurts because these Americans did nothing wrong and one of their own shot them dead at Fort Hood yesterday."
Olson lashed out at President Barack Obama for what Olson called an emotionless public statement in the wake of the shooting, and for his administration not classifying the 2009 Fort Hood shooting as a terrorist attack. That classification would have given the victims' families different benefits from those they received.
"I felt that his lack of emotion and commitment in his comments just indicated that he's just doing it because he's just toeing the party line. He knows [he is] President Obama, he's Commander in Chief, wants weapons off the base," Olson said.
Olson said the incident could have been prevented if Fort Hood soldiers were allowed to carry weapons on base. Olson said he is supporting a proposed bill in the House that would let soldiers carry firearms on base, and rejected the argument from liberals that more people carrying concealed firearms would lead to more shooting fatalities.
"Hello, liberals, come to planet Earth," Olson said. "Deal with us here, that's just crazy, Steve. Just crazy. Who knows what [would have] happened if people on base had weapons right now?"
Olson said that despite his anger, what was most important right now was supporting the victims' families.
"My main focus right now is making sure those families know how much we love them, how much we've appreciate what they've done for us, both the deceased and the wounded," he said.
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