'Gunsplaining' and conspiracy theories: how rightwing pundits saw the Las Vegas shooting [View all]

A synopsis of the "standard" responses by right-wing NRA/ILA/GOA apologists:

1. The conspiracy theory

Conspiracy theory is now an ingrained response to mass shootings. If it was once a marginal pursuit, the “alt-right” surge and the election of a president who is himself an inveterate conspiracy theorist mean that these beliefs have a large audience and a new quasi-legitimacy.

As you would expect from highly influential radio show host Alex Jones, his website and radio show are canvassing the full gamut of conspiracy theories about the event. So far, Jones and his reporters have put forth a number of theories: that the shooter was targeting conservatives; that he was connected to Islamic extremism; that he was in league with anti-fascists.

2. Gunsplaining

Fussing over definitions and technical aspects of semi-automatic weapons is a good way to avoid questions about why civilians have them.

3. The double down

Some pundits calculate that the best form of defence is all-out attack. If events put trusty arguments in question, they figure, you can just reassert them at a higher volume.

In the first paragraph of Conrad Black’s latest ramble for National Review, he offers a potted version of what rightwing pundits say after every massacre: gun control won’t work, it’s politically impossible, and anyway it’s a local matter.

4. Deny, distract, delay

If all else fails, rightwing commentators can simply try to derail the entire conversation in the hope that eventually the news cycle will move on.

There are other right-wing "talking points," but you get the idea. The right-wing, Libertarian, Second Amendment absolutists and NRA/ILA/GOA apologists have no intention of ever addressing the gun violence epidemic in this country, and will go to great lengths and spend billions of dollars to counter common sense measures to solve the gun problem.