This page was last updated on May 21, 2013.
Welcome to reality; Mark Hogan; Beaver County Times; May 15, 2013.
Previous letters from Mr. Hogan I critiqued are here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Mr. Hogan wrote at least four other letters I did not critique.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“I’d like to welcome Mike Musolin to the non-right wing world and note his sharing of the standard talking points they have been locked in on in an effort to not gaze directly into the eyes of reality.
“Here’s what the rest of the world readily acknowledges. Requiring background checks for all gun purchases is not just symbolic. In fact, background checks have prevented 700,000 gun purchases in the last decade. Just think how many more there would be if people not allowed to purchase them didn’t have places to go.”
[RWC] “Reality” is Mr. Musolin didn’t mention “background checks” – for or against – in his letter.
Federal law requires federally-licensed dealers to perform background checks using the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). When purchasing via mail, phone, or the Internet, firearms must be sent to a licensed dealer who performs the background check. Further, Pennsylvania requires state-licensed sellers to perform background checks using the Pennsylvania Instant Check System operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. Depending on the firearm, private sellers must use a licensed dealer to make a sale and the dealer must perform a background check as he would if he were the seller. PA gun laws apply whether you buy a firearm at a local dealer, at a gun show, or from your neighbor. What more does Mr. Hogan want?
“And we know criminals break laws. That’s why they go to prison. So, stop making laws? Yes, we know about Benghazi. Tragic. However, more than 40 died during Bush’s term in embassy attacks. And 3,000 more on 9/11. But not a peep in protest from the far right.”
[RWC] I may word this poorly so please forgive me. Mr. Hogan tries to compare embassy deaths during the Bush administration with Benghazi. Mr. Hogan wants us to believe the Benghazi scandal is “only” about the four dead Americans. That’s why Mr. Hogan alleges “more than 40 died during Bush’s term.” The scandal is how the Obama administration handled the event, including lying about the attackers.
There were two tragedies about Benghazi. The first, obviously, was the murder of four Americans, one of whom was our ambassador.
The second was Obama administration actions before, during, and after the terrorist attack on September 11, 2013. Since the current discussion is about post-attack activity, I’ll stick to that aspect. Almost immediately, the State Department and other U.S. intelligence groups knew terrorists attacked the Benghazi facility and there was no demonstration about some obscure anti-Muslim video. FactCheck.org has a timeline. In summary, the administration pushed the “anti-Muslim video” story – which it knew to be false – for over a week. Not until September 19th did an administration official testifying before a Senate committee concede in public the four Americans “were killed in the course of a terrorist attack on our embassy.” Subsequently, other Administration officials – including President Obama’s spokesman – admitted terrorists conducted the attack. Nevertheless, Mr. Obama continued to refer to “killers,” not terrorists, through at least September 25th during a speech before the United Nations, a full two weeks after the attack. In that speech, however, Mr. Obama found time (eight paragraphs) to talk about “a crude and disgusting video” and freedom of speech. The $64,000 question is, why was Mr. Obama so set on blaming an “anti-Muslim video” instead of the attacking terrorists?
“And now we’re talking about these four poor souls even during an unrelated effort to stop people we all agree shouldn’t have guns from having them. Like I said, I’m glad you visited. Please take this information back to that other world. Bring some others back.”
[RWC] I completely understand why Mr. Hogan doesn’t want to discuss Benghazi.
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