Ted Cruz calls Colorado Shooter "Transgendered Leftist-Activist "

[Kellam]

Ted Cruz Describes Alleged Planned Parenthood Shooter As 'Transgendered Leftist Activist'

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/11/29/3726311/ted-cruz-planned-parenthood-shooting-transgendered/

ThinkProgress/by Zack Ford Nov 29, 2015 7:03pm

Cruz is trying to shift external blame for the Planned Parenthood shooting in Colorado onto the left and of course...us.

[Ms Grace]

Wow, that is such a remarkable feat of spin it's a wonder his head hasn't twisted off.

[Kellam]

It kinda is! I just checked on the story further and Buzzfeed is reporting backpedaling. His campaign now says the point the candidate was trying to make was that all we know are rumors. He brought up this right wing distortion as a way to prove that it wasn't necessarily right wing distortions that motivated the shooter's terrorist act. He just really doesn't want it to be his party's fault. Even though the same conservative forums spreading this lie are the same that lauded the shooter. The same ones that may have motivated him.

[Tysilio]

Well said, Grace!

From what I've read about Mr. Dear, I'd say it's slightly more likely that he's transgender than that he's a "leftist activist."  We know nothing about his gender identity, but there's a fair bit of evidence concerning his political opinions, and they ain't "leftist."

[RobynD]

More like conservative and biggoted people of his own party and value system incited someone of questionable stability and access to firearms, to go and create havoc and death. That deflection will have about as much chance of being successful as his candidacy.

[Dee Marshall]

Well said, Grace!

From what I've read about Mr. Dear, I'd say it's slightly more likely that he's transgender than that he's a "leftist activist."  We know nothing about his gender identity, but there's a fair bit of evidence concerning his political opinions, and they ain't "leftist."

I can't imagine what it would be like to hold the opinions and live the life that evidence has shown for him and then for him to realize that he's trans. The self loathing could push him to anything! We all know that being trans is not a mental illness, but it doesn't immunize us from mental illness either.

[Yukari-sensei]

Wow, that is such a remarkable feat of spin it's a wonder his head hasn't twisted off.

As an American from Texas who has to be represented by this... let's be polite and say demagogue, I say it's a shame it didn't.

[ErinS]

Taking his entire statement into proper context, it's pretty clear he was being sarcastic and saying let's wait and let facts come out before we jump to conclusions. Unfortunately after tragic events like this, people across the political spectrum often latch on to isolated facets and twist them around to use against their political enemies, and all the different current accusations that he's right or left or trans are pretty much specious at this point.

Heck, even the article itself is an example of this, because it's trying to imply a different meaning that what he actually meant. I honestly don't think he actually meant to blame this on trans people, just pointing out the main stream media is pretty good about harping every potential right wing indicator while burying the left ones after things like this.

There are good reasons to be wary of his attitude toward LGBT people, but I don't think this is one of them.

[suzifrommd]

 

Reminder of item #10 of the Site TOS:

Bashing or flaming of an individual or group is not acceptable behavior on this website and will not be tolerated in the slightest for any reason.

Applies even if you disagree vehemently with a candidate's public statements.

I will lock the thread if this becomes a problem.

[Kellam]

Sorry, I just wanted to give a heads up. I should have known it would inflame passions. I let my political leanings overstep my community interest. Perhaps it is best for the thread to be locked.

[WorkingOnThomas]

I don't think it was actually sarcastically intended at all, or was an attempt at showing how ludicrous rumours can be. I think it was a rather subtle attempt at smearing left leaning and trans individuals and distancing himself and his party from the outright lies that some of them have told regarding Planned Parenthood, which - from the evidence - appears to indicate that the terrorist was inspired by them.

[Kellam]

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/12/01/3726754/clerical-error-robert-lewis-dear-transgender/

Update! The shooters F designation on his voter registration was deemed a clerical error. The same error had happened on his driver's license and he had it corrected.