Wayne LaPierre Plays Paranoia

NRA frontman, Wayne LaPierre, was on Fox News on Sunday stoking the paranoia of their base. This is what he said:

“I think what they’ll do is turn this universal check on the law-abiding into a universal registry of law-abiding people. And law-abiding people don’t want that. My God, that’s the last thing they want,”

He also argued that background checks are ineffective because criminals will not submit to them. As Anderson Cooper asked on his show last week, how do we know who is law-abiding or not without the background checks? There are many reasons why background checks are not as effective as they should be and that will be part of the conversation. The NRA is largely part of watering down the laws and making them ineffective.

He also said that background checks were "possibly part of a government plot against gun owners." Really? Stroke that paranoia. There is a man in Alabama in a bunker with a kidnapped child today. This is the constituency that he is speaking to with that comment. This is completely irresponsible and part of the problem. Wayne LaPierre and the NRA do not care about being part of the conversation, they are a large part of the problem. I was pretty upset when they complained that they were not going to be invited to the White House to be a part of the conversation with Joe Biden. Of course they were invited, but they can't possibly have brought anything to the table that was constructive. They are not interested in keeping people out of the morgue. They are only interested in expanding the gun culture in this country and feeding the paranoia of the extreme right-wing.

Happy Inauguration Day! (Ceremonial)

As Rachel Maddow put it, our greatest secular civic holiday we celebrate every four years.  The speeches are fantastic and moving.  The symbolism is so important, from the number of columns on the building to who is giving the speeches.  This day itself, symbolizes that democracy works.  In the two houses of the building where the inauguration is held, democracy is messy.  Outside the building, every four years, the peaceful transfer of power shows that is works.  There is no mob.  No coup to unseat the previous president.  This truly is America’s greatest holiday.

Chuck Schumer gave a great speech about the symbolism of the Capital Building.  To President Abraham Lincoln, the unfinished dome symbolizing the divided nation during the Civil War.  I never realized what a great speaker Senator Schumer was.  He would make a great Senate Majority leader should Harry Reid every leave the Senate.

Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of Medgar Evers gave a wonderful invocation, and the historical aspects of her filling that role are immense.  Her husband was a civil rights leader who was gunned down in their driveway on June 12, 1963.  And now she is delivering the invocation of our first African American President, albeit his second term, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  She is also the first non-clergy to give the invocation. 

Vice President Biden was sworn in followed by President Obama.  Chief Justice Roberts did not flub the words this time.  Then he gave his speech and there is a lot of history in second inaugurals.  This, I feel, is no different.

President’s speech:

Poet Richard Blanco composed a poem for the inauguration and it was perfect for the occasion.  Listening to it, all I could think was that it was an impeccable description of America.   

Video of Richard Blanco's poem:

Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson sang wonderfully, of course, and did not steal the show from the President.  He is the star today.

The rest of the day will be full of parties and celebration.  Tomorrow, back to work.

Happy Inauguration Day! (officially)

Congratulations to Vice President Joe Biden who was just sworn in for his second term!

Because January 20th falls on a Sunday, the official ceremony is today in private and the public one with all the speeches and parties and excitement is tomorrow.

President Obama will go through a private ceremony with Chief Justice John Roberts later today to take the oath.  Of course, he did that last time also, but for a different reason.  Roberts flubbed some of the words so they did a second ceremony in the White House.  I don't think there will be any problems with that this time.