So how many fundraising emails did you get over the weekend?

Another month, another mass shooting at an American high school — this one in deep red Texas — which Reuters reports was over a young lady who rejected repeated and aggressive romantic overtures.  And on cue, the NRA talking points emerge from the far right and the Parkland kids have added legions to their efforts to sensible national gun control legislation.

Take a moment to grieve for the families of those who died Friday.  Take a moment to pray for the survivors.

And despite this national tragedy — and it is national, as more school kids have died this year from school shooting than active military have in war zones — I got no fewer than six urgent requests for fundraising with the general theme “we’re short of our goal and we need your help…”   And this is a bi-partisan issue with both Dems and Republicans begging for Monday Friday and Saturday.  MoveOn had a fundraising pitch out hours after the shooting.

Shame on all of the candidates and organizations who either used the tragedy to raise money or ignored the shooting to raise money.

LA Times political reporter Seema Mehta tweeted this on Saturday night:

Seema MehtaVerified account @LATSeema May 19

I recall a quaint time, not so long ago, when candidates in both parties suspended their campaigns and fundraising during times of national tragedy. Like 10 people getting slaughtered at an American high school.

Spot on.
I think it’s high time our national mainstream news media publishes crime scene photos to show Americans how horrifying this violence actually is.  Imagine seeing images of dead elementary school kids in Connecticut?  Kids shot by an AR-15 in Parkland?  The majority of Americans favor assault weapon bans and extensive background checks.  But would Americans opposed to new gun laws change their minds seeing a dead six year old?  Or a teacher shot multiple times?
The Pro-Life movement has used images of an aborted fetus to make its case that abortion is murder.  Perhaps it’s time to use the same tactic on gun violence at schools.
In any event, candidates running ought to pay attention to the messages they send when a tragedy like Santa Fe Texas occurs; by sending our your pitch for money, you’ve demonstrated you are de-sensitized to a school shooting with 10 dead as the NRA is.  And for that, shame on you.