The grieving father of a young reporter murdered on live TV Wednesday says his daughter’s legacy will be gun control.
Andy Parker, father of Alison Parker, a reporter killed by a gunman in Virginia, made the statement during an interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly Wednesday evening.
“I’m not going to let this issue drop,” he said. “We’ve got to do something about crazy people getting guns.
“The problem that you guys have – and I know it’s the news business, and this is a big story – but next week, it isn’t going to be a story anymore and everybody’s going to forget it. But you mark my words, my mission in life – and I talked to the governor today. He called me, and I told him, ‘I’m going to do something, whatever it takes, to get gun legislation, to shame people, to shame legislators into doing something about closing loopholes in background checks and making sure crazy people don’t guns.’ And he said, ‘You go. I’m right there with you.'”
Parker added, “This is not the last you’ve heard of me. This is Alison’s legacy that I want to make happen.”
Watch the Megyn Kelly interview:
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While police were still pursuing the murderer of Alison Parker and her cameraman during the live broadcast Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, already was talking about gun control.
“It goes back to what I’ve talked about for a long time: There are too many guns in the hands of people who should not have guns,” he told reporters regarding the shooting allegedly carried out by Vester Lee Flanagan, who died in a hospital later of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“We’ve got to come together, there is too much gun violence in the United States of America,” he said.
A short time after McAuliffe’s comments, Democrat candidate for president Hillary Clinton echoed his thoughts.
“We have got to do something about gun violence in America – and I will take it on,” she said. “I believe we are smart enough, we are compassionate enough to figure out how to balance the legitimate Second Amendment rights with preventive measures and control measures so that whatever motivated this murderer, who eventually took his own life – we will not see more deaths, needless, senseless deaths.”
The current occupant of the Oval Office, a Democrat, through a spokesman, was on the same track.
Said White House spokesman Josh Earnest: “As you’ve heard me say in the past, this is another example of gun violence that is becoming all too common in communities large and small all across the United States. And while there is no piece of legislation that will end all violence in this country, there are some common sense things that only Congress can do that we know would have a tangible impact in reducing gun violence in this country.
“The president has long advocated Congress taking those steps, and the president continues to believe that they should do so.”
So, what do YOU think? Sound off in today’s WND poll: Has Obama helped race relations in America?
Politico reported the debate over gun control was on again after the murder of Parker, 24, a reporter, and Adam Ward, 27, a cameraman, for Roanoke-based WDBJ.
They allegedly were killed by Flanagan, a disgruntled former colleague who boasted on social media of carrying out the two murders and posted video of the attack.
“I want to reiterate how important we not let another terrible instance go by without trying to do something more to prevent this incredible killing that is stalking our country,” Clinton said.
Another Democrat candidate, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, said, “Too much violence, too many deaths from guns in our country, and we need to do better as a nation.”
Politico reported leading Republicans were expressing on social media concern for the victims and families.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said, “All of our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and loved ones of @WDBJT’s Alison and Adams.”
From Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.: “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families. … Absolutely heartbreaking.”
Former Alabama Gov. Mike Huckabee said: “Janet & I are heartbroken by the deaths … Praying for everyone affected by this tragedy.”
Dr. Ben Carson wrote:Â “Columba and I are praying for Alison, Adam and all those affected.
Gov. Scott Walker said: “Tragic loss … this morning. Our prayers go out to their friends, family and the entire news crew.”
Chris Ferguson, an associate professor of psychology at Stetson University, said in the New York Daily News the issue is twofold – mental illness and availability of guns.
“It’s near-impossibly to have this discussion without partisan politics intruding, and the devolution of the debate into nonsense – blaming social media, video games and assorted other scapegoats.”
At the PowerLine blog, John Hinderaker said, “The White House didn’t wait an hour before using the murders committed by Vester Flanagan in Virginia as an excuse to push for gun control.
“Violent crime, and homicide in particular, has been cut by approximately half since the mid-1990s, a time that coincides with liberalized gun laws in many states and more widespread ownership of handguns. Why do gun control advocates never acknowledge these basic facts?
“This is all just political opportunism,” he wrote.
“One thing we have learned is that some murders are important and others aren’t. White policeman kills black person: important! Black person kills white policeman: unimportant. White lunatic kills black people in South Carolina: important! Gay black lunatic kills white people in Virginia: something tells me this one is going in the ‘unimportant’ column.
“It doesn’t advance the narrative. Except, of course, the gun control narrative,” he wrote.
WND reported only weeks ago Obama vowed to restrict guns in his remaining months in office.
Obama told the BBC he has felt “distressed” and “stymied” over his inability to get gun control through Congress and promised to double down.
Watch clip of Obama’s gun control comments to BBC below:
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Obama did not mention that the overwhelming majority of shootings occur in urban areas with strict gun laws by criminals who don’t obey those laws.
“We have been expecting an all-out assault on the Second Amendment by Obama in the last years of his term,” said Alan Gottlieb, executive vice president and founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. “Thank God that the House of Representatives and the Senate are not in control of the Democrats, or our gun rights would be toast.
“Obama will do as much damage as he can get away with by executive orders and actions as he can. We will be fighting him all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Related columns:
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How to deal with violent, evil nutjobs by Ted Nugent
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