The father of one of the victims of a mass shooting near the University of California, Santa Barbara placed the blame for his son’s death on politicians once again Monday, invoking the 2012 elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn.
“Have we learned nothing? These things are going to continue until somebody does something,” Richard Martinez said in an interview with CNN. “So where the hell is the leadership? Where the hell are these people we elect to congress that we spend so much money on? These people are getting rich sitting in Congress, and what do they do? They don’t take care of our kids. My kid died because nobody responded to what happened at Sandy Hook.”
Martinez’s son, Christopher, was the last of six victims allegedly killed by Elliot Rodger before the suspected shooter took his own life. An emotional Martinez had railed against “craven, irresponsible politicians” and the National Rifle Association for their support of gun rights at a Saturday press conference. He redoubled his criticism of Congress in his interview with CNN, calling lawmakers a “rudderless bunch of idiots.”
A visibly angry Martinez expressed dismay that no legislative action has been taken since 20 elementary school students were killed by shooter Adam Lanza in Newtown.
“Those parents lost little kids. I had 20 years with my son. That’s all I’ll ever have,” he said. “But those people lost their children at 6 and 7 years old. How do you think they feel? And who’s talking to them now, who’s doing anything for them now? Who is standing up for those kids that died back then in an elementary school? Why wasn’t something done? It’s outrageous.”
Watch below:
Image via CNN
Mr Martinez is understandably distraught and angry. Until our elected officials grow a pair, refuse campaign contributions from arms manufactures and the NRA, and start passing enforceable legislation with real teeth we can look forward to more of this senseless BS.
Sure, legislation that will focus on mental health will be nice but how about also passing legislation that is at least as tough as the requirements for owning and operating a car.
Register the guns now. While it might take twenty years to get the unregulated guns out of circulation we can choose to start the process now or keep forestalling it. It will still take at least twenty years regardless of when we start.
Require that gun-owners have insurance for their guns. Make them responsible for how, when and why their guns are used along with by whom they are used. Perhaps we would see fewer reports of stuff like this crap.
Insurance companies might provide lower premiums if they are allowed to inspect the owners means of storing and securing their ammunition and their guns.
What is the bad from mandating more documentation and a longer wait period for the purchase of semi-automatic weapons? And applying this to ALL gun sales nationally.
And no one needs a military style weapon. No one.
There is ample truth in his pain.
This video needs to be sent to every single Republican in office that supports the NRA.
His last name needs to be publicize, MARTINEZ! And get this guy on Spanish language news. Force Republicans to back up their so called “latino outreach” with actual policies not just talk.
I will not comment on a justifiable outburst of an angry father who just lost his son. Something has however been done in the State of California since Sandy Hook, unfortunately in the wrong direction.
Why bother? They don’t care. They really don’t care.