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Evers Riles Activists With AR-15 Facebook Giveaway
June 21, 2016
Barely a week after the worst mass shooting in the nation’s history, state Sen. Greg Evers — running in a hotly contested Republican primary for a Panhandle congressional seat — drew criticism for planning to give away a semiautomatic rifle similar to a gun used in the attack that killed 49 people and injured dozens of others at a gay nightclub in Orlando.
Evers, a Baker Republican who has frequently sponsored legislation backed by the National Rifle Association, announced Monday he is giving away an AR-15 rifle to a resident of Congressional District 1 who has “liked” and “shared” Evers’ Facebook page. Killer Omar Mateen used a similar gun during the deadly assault early June 12 on the Pulse nightclub.
“With terrorism incidents on the rise, both at home and abroad, protecting our constitutional rights has never been more important,” Evers said in a prepared statement accompanying the announcement.
The winner of the “custom-built” rifle will be selected on July 4, with the contestant having to meet eligibility requirements, according to a press release and a post on Evers’ Facebook page.
But LGBT activists decried Evers’s decision to essentially raffle off the gun while funerals for the 49 clubgoers — most of them gay and Hispanic — have just begun.
“I think it is tasteless, disrespectful, disgusting, political pandering at its worst,” Stratton Pollitzer, deputy director of Equality Florida, an LGBT advocacy group that has raised more than $6 million for victims of the massacre. “The idea that he wants to put the same style assault rifle that was just used for mass murder into the hands of a random stranger is grotesque.”
Evers is running to replace veteran U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller — who announced earlier this year he will not seek re-election — in what is expected to be a brutal campaign against state Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, and James Zumwalt, an Iraq war veteran and former Miller aide.
Evers made his announcement the day before U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch is scheduled to travel to Orlando to meet with victims, first responders and other members of the Orlando community reeling from the attack on the popular nightclub in the wee hours of a Sunday morning.
Critics view Evers’ gun giveaway as a way for him to beef up support from Second Amendment backers in arguably the state’s most conservative congressional district, which abuts the Alabama border and spans Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties and includes most of Holmes County. The winner of the Aug. 30 GOP primary is almost certain to go to Washington.
“Sen. Evers’s campaign gimmick will improve self-defense for exactly one Floridian. I’ve spent a legislative career fighting for Second Amendment rights for all Floridians,” Gaetz said in a telephone interview Monday.
Evers’s gun contest comes as some, including President Barack Obama, push lawmakers to consider imposing restrictions on the purchase of assault weapons like the one used by the shooter in the Orlando massacre.
Evers defended his AR-15 contest by accusing Obama of blaming the Orlando catastrophe on guns, “when the real threat is radical Islamic terrorism.”
“Where I’m from, people ain’t gonna sit around and wait for the government to protect them, they’ll protect themselves. That’s what this is about — promoting self-reliance in the face of Islamic terrorism,” Evers said in an e-mail.
But Liz Watkins called Evers’s campaign ploy an insult, especially in Pensacola, which has courted the LGBT community and draws thousands of gay tourists each Memorial Day weekend for a major gay pride celebration.
“I think it’s criminal,” Watkins, a Pensacola LGBT activist, said. “I think he is contributing to the death of people. If he isn’t stopped by the law somehow, then Republicans need to look in this guy’s face and say you need to think about what you’re doing. … I’ve got to tell you my stomach’s turning from it.”
Pamela Goodman, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, said her group is “outraged” by Evers’s announcement.
“We do not believe that actions like that can solve the issue at hand. We need to be having discourse and conversation and action with the people of all sides weighing in on this issue,” Goodman said in a telephone conference call with reporters on Monday.
But as offensive as Evers’s giveaway might be to some, others believe it won’t hurt him in a primary where candidates are eager to flaunt their allegiance to gun rights.
“There’s a decent chance that whoever gets (the rifle), it will be their second AR-15,” said GOP strategist J.M. “Mac” Stipanovich, who splits his time between Tallahassee and Destin, which is included in the congressional district. “There’s a cultural and political divide here that’s hard for some folks to understand. What happened in Orlando, a number of people, including many people in the Panhandle, believe that is an alarm bell, a summons to arm yourself against the coming darkness, the bad guys who are out to get us.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Comments
33 Responses to “Evers Riles Activists With AR-15 Facebook Giveaway”
@Simmer Down
The anti gun folks are already taking advantage of this shooting, the ink wasn’t even dry on them poor folks death certificates, and they already tried to pass (Four) anti gun bills.
And some in the homosexual community are taking pro gun action. They have their on version of the NRA called the “Pink Pistols” and their membership has doubled since the Orlando shootings.
So if the homosexuals are buying a lot more guns I don’t think Senator Evers is going to upset too many of them, because that would make them hypocrites.
@Bob you don’t have to buy a license to fly a drone, you only have to register it with the FAA, and that is only if it is over 1/2 pound.
Unfortunately most of our leaders are fools and lack discernment, you see terrorist groups could easily bring in their own automatic weapons, grenades, and rpg’s like they did in the recent French attacks (By the way one the most strict countries in Europe on gun ownership) but they know if they buy them here and use them on us, it will further cause division amongst the people, I guarantee you they are building a network and these attacks will grow and only get worse, and we will eventually see actual militants from foreign soil committ more of these attacks here, because they have them lined up and they all want to be a martyr.
REGARDING:
“@David Huie Green – What did you mean with your tag line, “For the right tool.”? The right tool for what?”
For whatever job you want to do.
It is the user who decides the job he or she wishes to do.
If you want to drive a nail, a hammer is the right tool.
If you want to cut wood, a saw usually does the trick.
If you want to kill a bunch of people (not that you should, but IF you do), you might want to use a bomb, fire or poison gas.
If you want to kill a particular person (not that you should do it lightly), you might want to use a rifle because you can narrow down the affected area and not hurt people you don’t want to hurt.
If you want to take your chances, use a single shot weapon.
If you want to drive off a mob intent on killing you or yours, you might favor a shotgun.
If you want to be a he-man, fight your attackers barehanded even if they have rocks, clubs, knives, spears, poison-tipped arrows illegal weapons, rope, shock sticks, Molotov cocktails. (You will die but they will tell how brave you were at your funeral — if anybody is left.
If you want to live in peace, be polite and let others understand you demand the same and can enforce it. Just desiring peace does not guarantee it. Too many women have had restraining orders against the men who killed them.
I may be willing to take my chances with my neighbors (especially in Bluff Springs where all my neighbors are good people), but it would be wrong of me to force others to risk their peace of mind and be unarmed or under-armed. They would wonder what I was plotting.
People keep comparing Trump to Hitler. I don’t agree, but what if I’m wrong?
Hitler managed to kill way more than are killed each year by people who would kill anyway and he did it by making sure they couldn’t put up a fight on the way to the ovens.
The same applies to Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao Tse Tung, Idi Amin, ISIS, all the dictators through history, anyone else who successfully carried out genocides or enslavement. It is unwise to depend on others who may say afterwards, “I was just following orders.”
David for peace and freedom by any means necessary
Senator Greg Evers Apologized for the terrible shooting before he started the Raffle. He hates the fact that muslim shot up all those people.
Some people just want to criticize people they know nothing about. If you are ever “LUCKY” enough to meet and know Brother Greg Evers you will have a Positive Experience. We are lucky to have a man who wants to help EVERYONE !!
Simmer Down…
The quote of dancing in the blood of the victims is valid when you look at socialist’s mantra, even spoken by Rahm Emanuel, “never let a crisis go to waste”.
And the whole argument isn’t about someone not agreeing with my “line of thought”. The Second Amendment is very real and very clear, though socialists do everything to corrupt the clear meaning. The whole of the people of the United States are the militia, not the national guard. The national guard didn’t come into existence until 1903 with the passage of the Dick Act, and they are ultimately under Federal control.
And for the last time, the Second Amendment says NOTHING about the right to keep and bear arms having anything at all to do with hunting. It was place there to ensure a free state. Fudds will have you believe that all rifles should only be used for hunting wabbits.
What type of rifle is it? An ant-terrorist, anti-tyrant rifle…a freedom rifle.
Face it…there are millions of such firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens that have done no harm to a single soul. There are semi-automatic rifles of lesser caliber (.22 .17HMR) and of far more power (.308, 7.62×51, 7.62×54R). Why punish tens or hundreds of millions for the crimes of less than a handful?
We are responsible firearms owners. We’re not giving up any of our weapons. We won’t back up one more inch.
The gun grabbers my try to ban/confiscate them, but I don’t think that they will enjoy the response.
@Sedition – Good sir, do you sincerely equate gun control advocates with socialists? That might be a stretch, but socialist is a buzz word that has strong negative connotations, so I see why you’d use it. It must be impossible for there to be fiscally conservative folks out there who don’t completely agree with your line of thought. I also disagree with your characterization that gun control advocates are “dancing in the blood of the victims.” It’s a ridiculous and insensitive statement that you lifted from other gun rights sources. Well done.
Finally, Sedition, I understand the difference between fully and semi-automatic weapons. Mateen got off 24 shots in 9 seconds. You say it’s not an assault weapon. It’s not a hunting rifle, is it? How do you classify the weapon he used?
@David Huie Green – What did you mean with your tag line, “For the right tool.”? The right tool for what?
Peace!
Good points @SimmerDown. I almost believe it’s a way to keep the base riled up so he can win the election. And likely he will win.
Omar Mateen killed . The rifle he used was an instrument. Could have been any type of weapon. I , for one, am tired of leftist screaming about gun control every time one of these shootings happen!. Are we so dumb to think that banning any type of gun will stop these senseless acts? The phrase “outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns” sings loud and clear. A permit or law will not stop those that want to kill from getting what they need. Look at countries that have total no gun laws. There are still guns and killings in those places. Why penalize the good because of the bad, Could be that if one person in that club had a gun, many could have been saved! If nothing else. while he was on the phone or loading a new clip someone could have tackled him. The GUN is not the culprit here, blame the world we live iin today! there will, unfortunately be more of the same due to our declining society!
Concerned
It was not an assault weapon used.
It was not an automatic rifle as you claim we have no need of.
The Second Amendment was not instituted into the Bill of Rights because the deer were coming. It was Redcoats…the British…a tyrannical government.
If you read the writings of the founders, we are to be armed at all times to prevent another tyrannical government.
Simmer Down
Why now? Because once again the leftist (socialists) are dancing in the blood of victims to call for more gun control and gun bans. We cannot let their emotional attack on our rights get a foothold. The Bill of Rights doesn’t take time off. It is the Law of the Land 24/7 If ANY of the Bill of Rights are even temporarily suspended,then you can bet that we live in a tyrannical government as the BoR LIMITS governments rights, Government does NOT grant us these rights.
REGARDING:
“was not an AR-15, but a Sig Sauer MCX rifle.”
Good point.
Those who say, “They all look alike to me,” must be gunists since if they were saying it about people they would be racists.
David for the right tool
REGARDING:
“Greg-I support you in theory, but no one needs an assault weapon for normal life! I have never heard of any hunter that required an automatic rifle to kill a deer, turkey or wild pig.”
True.
Not that it is an automatic rifle.
A semi-automatic rifle fires once per pull of the trigger.
That is useful when you have multiple targets or missed with the first shot.
Nonetheless, the Second Amendment has nothing to do with hunting.
It is about the right of citizens to be armed so they are not prey to anyone who wishes to bully, enslave or kill them.
If you have absolute faith in your government, the governments around you and all of your neighbors, you do not need any kind of weapon at all.
The insult is that the weapon in question was used to kill many people. This shows that it would be silly to have absolute faith in your neighbors or your government’s ability to protect you from all of them. Given the fact that this weapon and hundreds of other kinds of weapons already exist and more can be made, the only question is one of whether or not you personally want one. The question is never one of whether or not you want your neighbors to be able to have one; they have that right and even if they didn’t, you only have to worry about people who won’t obey the law anyway.
David for civil people exercising civil rights
Concerned……
Your ignorance astounds me! The 2nd amendment has absolutely nothing to do with hunting. Read up. Learn. You are part of the problem!
@Sedition: I think you misunderstand what I’m saying. I wouldn’t take away Mr. Evers’ right to do what he’s doing. I just think he’s being crass by doing it now. Why didn’t he do this last month? Why didn’t he do it after the shooting at Sandy Hook elementary? No, this is political grandstanding without regard for the feelings of the friends and families that lost loved ones in Orlando.
If this is the type of character and judgement that you respect, then give him your vote. I believe there are ways to support our 2nd Amendment rights without rubbing salt in the fresh wounds of others.
I am so “THANKFUL” we have a man with “BACKBONE” running for the Senate!!!!!! Mr. Evers has my full support and I will back him with all my help.
The lgbt is what turns my stomach.
Greg-I support you in theory, but no one needs an assault weapon for normal life! I have never heard of any hunter that required an automatic rifle to kill a deer, turkey or wild pig.
he will get my vote.
Nice rifle hope I win. We need more politicians like Mr. Evers.
Simmer Down …
Using your own logic, with your proposed senario with the drunk driver, would you be for car companies and dealerships pulling their advertisement? After all…it was the CAR that killed all those poor childrr\en and puppies, not the person behind the wheel.
All those evil assault cars.
Who needs a car when we have feet?
You have no Constitutional right to own or drive a car.
Can we vote him OUT of office? Shameful.
Bravo Greg Evers for NOT being “politically correct.” I think I shall vote for you for not being brain dead like most in DC seem to be.
Mr. Evers has my vote
You got to have a licensee to fly a drone but you can buy a gun to shoot a airplane down at your airport. Crazy!!!!!
I’m a hunter and gun owner, so back off, but don’t any of you think the timing of this is in poor taste? If a drunk plowed through a playground full of puppies and children would you support the politician who threw a kegger to defend our right to drink beer? Wouldn’t that smack of someone who is insensitive and displays poor judgement?
This seems like a cheap political stunt because he can’t differentiate himself from his competitors by talking about the issues.
I’m voting for him! ! !
Mr. Evers had my vote LONG before this giveaway. I’m even more sure of my support now.
He’s got my vote.
The offended parties should go buy weapons to defend themselves. Their petty offense will be meaningless in the face of a terrorist bent on death and destruction. I swear it seems that some people don’t know who their real friends and enemies are. Obama was more mad at the gun than the shooter…and now he and Killary will do all they can to expose the citizenry, including gays, even more. Wake up, fellow citizens. Wake up quickly!
It amazes and saddens me the way some people can be led by liberal “Thinkers” into believing that bad is good and lies are somehow the truth. Liberals have twisted the truth and “Sheeple” are falling for it, hook, line, and sinker. Members of the LGBT community, as well as the rest of us, should be outraged that anyone would even suggest that those innocent people in Orlando were slaughtered by a gun and not by a Muslim idiot. Liberals would have us give up our protection (Guns), so that those who follow “The religion of peace”, will have open season on everyone else. I will continue to defend every individual’s rights. I just wish people would use logic and place the blame where it belongs. Bleeding heart liberals are following ovomit and giving our country away, right under our noses. I would say “Wake up” but I don’t think anyone is listening…
The great prophet Amos said “woe unto he who longs for the day of the Lord, for it is great and terrible”; I say bring it on, so that this anti-Christ scourge can be removed from our home.
Mr Evers is a Christian, he is also an American who has my vote.
Have any of these people stopped to think that if someone in the LGBT community had an AR15 similar to this one being given away that they could have tried to stop the attack?
Wake up people, the gun didn’t kill anyone, the idiot pulling the trigger killed people. I’ve never witnessed a gun going off by itself, someone has to pull the trigger.
Due to the ongoing invasion of our country by those who would have the same beliefs as the guy who committed the killings in Orlando, the LGBT community, the Christian community, and all other infidels should arm up and be prepared to defend yourselves instead of being offended. Our country has been fundamentally changed, be ready for the “new” America, it’s where we are.
For starters the gun that was used in that horrible shooting in Orlando, officials clarified that the rifle Omar Mateen used in the shooting was not an AR-15, but a Sig Sauer MCX rifle.
There is no way in the world I would accept this rifle. I already have one, and I would appreciate a deserving person to have this one. Thank you Mr. Evers.