Investigators are looking into Elton Simpson as one of the gunmen who pulled up to a “draw the prophet Mohammed” event and opened fire in Texas last night
Elton Simpson has been identified as one of the two gunmen who opened fire Sunday night outside the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest in Garland, Texas. An unarmed security guard was shot, but survived with a non-life-threatening wound, before Simpson and his accomplice were killed by police.
Simpson, 31, and the other shooter are from Phoenix, Arizona, according to WFAA News. He was “well known” by the FBI and was the subject of a previous terror investigation, ABC News reports.
Simpson’s accomplice has not yet been identified.
I’m sure by the end of the say we’ll hear from tons of 2016 hopefuls about how this is a failure of President Obama. Before that starts, let’s take a couple of minutes to highlight a couple of points.
The AUMF Against ISIS
It has been close to three months since President Obama sent an Authorization for Use of Military Force Against ISIL to Congress. Since then it has done nothing but sit in the Republican controlled Congress. Remember, this was something that Republicans (and some Democrats) declared a necessity for Obama to obtain before really taking the fight to ISIS.
Local Vigilance
Not long after 9/11, then-President George Bush declared that the fight against terrorism must start at home, in the local towns and the states. The event this weekend had seen a lot of threats, hence the increased security. Knowing this was going on, how did the Governor of Texas, Gregg Abbott, prepare? He ordered the state’s National Guard to monitor the United States Military, who was doing a training exercise. The reason for monitoring was because Abbott and other Republicans believe that the training exercise is actually a cover-up for the military to come into Texas and take all guns from the people and impose martial law. Yes, a totally ridiculous conspiracy theory was embraced and depleted state resources, while a credible threat of terrorism was present in their state.
The Host of the Event
Pam Geller, the infamous anti-Islam cheerleader, was one of the hosts of this event. They have been provoking this kind of action. That doesn’t justify what happened, but I don’t recall any point during WWII where we grouped a bunch of Jewish people together and said “Come on Adolph, come and get them!”
So when the finger-pointing starts today, let’s remember that the one who has been trying to go after ISIS and take the threats serious is the President. It’s the Republicans who keep putting up road blocks, ignoring their own duties at home and try everything to provoke the terrorist group. I’m just thankful their plan to make “Obama look weak” didn’t result in greater injury or loss of life. Now will Republicans stop playing this dangerous game?