Spurred on by contentious talks over gun control, a bitter fracas broke out on the floor of the House Friday morning after a Republican lawmaker tied recent mass shootings to the “abortion industry” and accused Democrats of being the historical party of slavery. In the wake of the Parkland, Florida school shooting, Delegate Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) shocked nearly everyone in the chamber with an eruptive speech against calls from the Democrats for stricter gun control laws.
There has been tension between Republican and Democrats in the House for a few weeks. Last month, Delegate Mark Levine (D-Alexandria) sent out an email headlined “How the GOP Makes it Easy to Commit Mass Murder,” infuriating Republicans. Undoubtedly, this lit the fire that ended with this morning’s explosion.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuG0byK2s5w]
Freitas charged, “Most of these shooters come from broken homes.” He explained that, “left-leaning policies [that] have encouraged broken homes,” since the 1960s that led the U.S. to suffer from consequential cultural changes. He listed that the “abortion industry,” children being born out of wedlock, and people depending solely on the government has led to a vast cultural decline.
Speaking on the historical pretext of the Democratic Party, Freitas launched into an exclamatory monologue:
“I just want to remind everyone of something very quickly. It was not our party [Republicans] that supported slavery…”
Which, of course, it true.
“…that fought women’s suffrage…”
Which, of course, it true.
“…that rounded up tens of thousands of Asian-Americans and put them in concentration camps…”
Which, of course, it true.
“…that supported Jim Crow…”
Which, of course, it true.
“…supported segregation…”
Which, of course, it true.
“…or supported mass resistance…”
Which, of course, it true.
“…that wasn’t our party – that was the Democratic Party.”
Of course, all are true. If one has any quarrel over the comments of the gentlemen from Culpeper, research history. One will find the truth – the truth which was spoken on the House floor this morning.
The emphatic speech shattered the usually tame atmosphere of the House, causing several visibly upset Democrats to walk off the floor in defiance.
Freitas also said if Republicans can be accused of being linked to school shootings and mass shootings by being funded by the National Rifle Association (NRA), Democrats must admit they are, “bought and paid for by Planned Parenthood,” – which kills hundreds of thousands of potential lives every year.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Freitas said he was frustrated that Democrats would take offense at a speech meant to convey that Republicans aren’t guilty of the “pretty horrible things” Democrats often accuse them of. Freitas said he wasn’t implying that legalized abortion leads to mass shootings, but that children being born out of wedlock leads to “far-reaching social ills,” according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
“I don’t base what I do off of Corey Stewart,” Freitas said commenting on his bid for U.S. Senate. “And this isn’t the first time I’ve given a floor speech on something I’m passionate about.”
