Rep. Mia Love (R-UT) was one of few Republicans who appeared to have some sense we it came to gun control, even though she received $3,000 in NRA donations over her two terms. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, she believed in “everything being on the table,” which included “firearm background checks and raise the age threshold from 18 to 21 to purchase an assault rifle (like the AR-15 police say a 19-year-old gunman used in Florida).” As for the shooter, she said, “There’s no reason why this young man should have had or been able to get ahold of an AR(-15).” She also didn’t agree with arming teachers.
SEE ALSO: The Token Black Guy For The NRA Disrespects The Survivors Of Mass Shootings
Love didn’t say if she was for banning militarized weapons, which were banned until 2004. However, her comments sounded promising, until she started babbling in a private Facebook group. After her conservative base got upset, she ranted in screenshots obtained by ThinkProgress, when it comes to “everything being on the table” she claims she was really talking about Hollywood and violent video games. “As for everything being on the table,” she wrote. “I’m talking about Hollywood violent movie [sic], horrible video games and explicit music that kids are listen [sic] to. When did we allow Hollywood to be our guide to morality. People want to look at guns, they should also look and [sic] what is poisoning our children’s minds.”
Then she was suddenly for arming teachers, “If a teacher is trained and wants to carry, they should. I support that. What I was referring to was my response in the media. It was asked if I wanted to force teachers to be armed,” Love said. “I said that doesn’t make any sense… Teachers who want to be armed and trained is fine. But do you want to force all teachers to be armed? Think about it?” The original article did not say she was asked about teachers being “forced” to arm, which doesn’t even sound like a logical question. Love appears to be pulling a Trump by blaming the media. These are comments came from local Utah papers, not CNN or MSNBC.
When asked by ThinkProgress about her flip-flopping, her office released a statement, writing in part, “Her position hasn’t changed. Everything on the table means what she said in the op ed.”
Love may have criticized Trump for his sh*thole comments about Africa and Haiti, but she is like every other politician. Now is that not time for backtracking or saying one thing in public and another in a private Facebook group.
SEE ALSO:
Black Lives Killed From Gun Violence Aren’t Forgotten At The March For Our Lives
Tavis Smiley Responds To Women Of Color Coming Forward In Sexual Misconduct Allegations
