CNN hosted a town hall on gun violence Thursday in response to two horrific mass shootings Saturday, one in El Paso and the other in Dayton. It was titled “America Under Assault: The Gun Crisis.”
It was the cable news giant’s second such event on the subject. The first was in response to last year’s shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school. Instead of the solution-finding discussion it was advertised to be, it was a political hit job.
If anything, Thursday’s was even worse, brimming with misinformation and shaming anyone with whom CNN disagreed. It also revealed why host Chris Cuomo, a law school graduate, chose not to practice law.
Then-National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch appeared at last year’s event, as did Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who’s also a Second Amendment supporter. They were both ridiculed and berated throughout the evening.
The NRA was invited to attend again this year but declined. Not only could Cuomo not understand that, he revealed why they were wise not to appear.
"I guess they want to do their talking with propaganda ads and millions in lobbying," he said. “Besides, let’s be honest, the gun lobby is not going to be the answer.”
Cuomo continued, "That shouldn’t be expected anymore than we expected big tobacco to help us expose the ills of smoking. The reality is, people like you are the answer, and there can be no sides when it comes to wanting to be safer, better protected."
With an open, non-prejudicial mind like that, how could anyone have refused?
As the Washington Free Beacon’s Alex Griswold put it, "The NRA has declined our invitation, I guess because [immediately demonstrates why they declined the invitation]."
Cuomo then exhibited his ignorance of constitutional law and indeed, his lack of understanding of the English language.
"Do you remember what the 2a was created for?" he asked on social media. "That there was no individual right contemplated until Scalia read it in? If you are an originalist about the Constitution you have no basis for thinking you and not the state controls access."
The Second Amendment, like all of the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution collectively known as the Bill of Rights, is a right possessed by American citizens, by the people, by individuals.
The Second Amendment provides that, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
There it is: “the right of the people.” Scalia didn’t draft that. It’s been there since 1791.
Entrepreneur and business TV host Carol Roth observed, “Chris, love ya, but the entire Bill of Rights is literally protections of individual natural rights and liberties.”
Actress Mindy Robinson was a bit more direct. She shot back, “The 2A was created by civilians that had just overthrown a tyrannical government. Which is exactly why socialists, terrorists, globalists, and regressive leftists need it gone for their America-destroying plans to work.” She closed with, “Molon labe,” Greek for “come and take it.”
Last year Sen. Rubio was denounced for accepting “blood money” from the NRA, and the other participants demanded that he denounce the NRA, an organization that prides itself on its educational and gun safety programs.
Loesch was heckled throughout the event because of her NRA affiliation and her Second Amendment rights advocacy.
Parkland’s Stoneman Douglas High School student Colton Haab appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” afterwards and told the host that he pulled out of the event because CNN’s producers re-worded his questions for him.
Haab said he wanted to discuss arming teachers to prevent similar tragedies. The CNN producer said he “needed to stick to the script.” Haab added, “honestly, it was very shocking to me.”
For its scripted, anti-Second Amendment “Parkland Town Hall,” CNN received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism, prompting Loesch to ask, “Is this a joke? Seriously.”
She later provided an example, saying, “Here is some footage where people were yelling to burn me at CNN’s award-winning townhall where they ‘advanced the conversation on gun control.’”
Prior to Thursday’s event, Loesch expressed hope that CNN would at least try to do better this time, but wasn’t convinced they would.
"I hope they learned from their last attempt and are doing this in the interest of good-faith discussion, but I’m not optimistic," Loesch told the Free Beacon. "After their last town hall on guns, where I was called a horrible mother and a murderer, the network allowed guests’ accusations against the character of law-abiding gun owners to continue unchallenged."
It was a different year, but with the same agenda. And CNN wonders why it’s denounced as a purveyor of “fake news.”
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to BizPac Review and Liberty Unyielding. He’s also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter, who can often be found honing his skills at the range. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.