“It’s your fault !” : in an unusual scene, a sign of tensions in the United States on the question of weapons, the Republican governor of Texas was insulted in the middle of a press conference, Wednesday, May 25, by his Democratic rival, who made him responsible for the massacre in the school of Uvalde.
Known for being an ardent supporter of gun ownership, conservative Greg Abbott had just finished telling how the 18-year-old teenager, who “carried evil in his heart”had shot his grandmother before going to the school, where he killed 21 people, including 19 children.
Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who will face him in the next gubernatorial election next November, rose and walked to the stage.“You say it wasn’t predictable, it was completely predictable from the moment you decided not to do anything”blasted the 49-year-old Democrat. “I stand up for the children of this state so that it does not happen again”he added.
Beto O’Rourke, who is running for governor of Texas, interrupted a news conference hosted by Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday and accused Republicans of “doing nothing” to address gun violence in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting. pic.twitter.com/vf2hTzzgOF
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 25, 2022
“Now is the time”
Greg Abbott, surrounded by a swarm of officials, including Republican and pro-gun senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, in an auditorium in the bereaved Texas city, remained impassive. But the eruption of his rival caused a moment of confusion and tension, the Democrat seeing himself in turn accused in a vehement way of “go too far” before being led by the police towards the exit.
“You are a stupid asshole to come to such an event to make a political issue of it”shouted the Republican mayor of Uvalde, Don McLaughlin.“Now is the time. Literally, now”on the contrary, assured the Democrat to journalists, once out of the auditorium.
Since the massacre committed by a far-right shooter in a supermarket in his hometown of El Paso (23 dead), in 2019, Beto O’Rourke has made the fight against firearms one of his major political markers.