Once again, Univision anchor Jorge Ramos proves that no argument is off limits so long as it advances the network’s gun control agenda, not even a conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.
A recent edition of Sunday political affairs talker Al Punto featured an interview with Manuel Oliver, father of Joaquín, who perished in the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Watch as Ramos goads Oliver into indicting the National Rifle Association as a conspirator in the Parkland shooting, as aired on Univision's Al Punto on Sunday, May 13, 2018:
JORGE RAMOS, SENIOR ANCHOR, UNIVISION: Are you fighting President Trump? I believe that’s the main question.
MANUEL OLIVER: I am asking for President Trump’s attention, OK? Which is not the same as fighting President Trump. President Trump showed support to the NRA, and I…
RAMOS: To the National Rifle Association.
OLIVER: The National Rifle Association, which from our point of view, is part of the conspiracy that murdered our son.
RAMOS: Do you believe that your son died due to the NRA somehow, or that the NRA is partly responsible for Joaquín’s death?
OLIVER: I believe that the NRA bears great responsibility for Joaquín’s death.
RAMOS: What is that responsibility like? How do you argue that?
OLIVER: I argue...they have different...responsibilities. There is a very clear one for me, which is the complicity with some politicians who cannot discuss new laws because they have...financial and ethical commitments with the NRA. And then there is a propaganda, which from my point of view is fake- that purports to convince people that by defending the NRA you defend the Constitution and the Second Amendment. I believe that a confusion was created- they set out to create a confusion that some people are incapable of analyzing the way that I believe it should be analyzed. No one is against your using the right to defend yourself, but...this isn’t defense, this is an attack.
To be crystal clear: we have no issue whatsoever with Mr. Oliver, who has an absolute right to process his grief as he and his family see fit as they continue to process this tragedy. To suddenly and senselessly lose a child under those circumstances is a parent’s absolute worst nightmare. The parents of those lost to school shootings our fullest measure of love, empathy, and understanding. To that end, Mr. Oliver has nothing but our prayerful support.
We do take exception, however, with the manner in which Ramos chooses to publicly exploit this grief in furtherance of a long-standing gun control agenda. There are several signs that betray the exploitative nature of this interview:
First of all, there’s Ramos’ immediate pivot to his bete noir: Donald Trump. Ultimately, Ramos is all about whether or not you #Resist Donald Trump- he’s made that clear over a multitude of opinion pieces. No matter what the subject matter at hand, Jorge Ramos will always create an opportunity to gratuitously bash Donald Trump. Mr. Oliver gracefully passed, and went into his arguments against the NRA. Second, Ramos fed the conspiracy theorizing by asking two follow-up questions, which allowed Mr. Oliver to go further in-depth.
Finally, at no time during the interview was there any mention whatsoever of the actual parties that bore responsibility for the shooting- whether the deranged shooter himself, or the multitude of school personnel and law enforcement agencies that at some point failed to do their jobs. The sole intent of this piece was to cast the blame for those 17 senseless murders on law-abiding gun owners generally, and the National Rifle Association specifically.
And at Univision, it seems acceptable to shamelessly exploit a father’s grief in order to sell what its star anchor can not. Shame.
Exit question: When was the last time that Jorge Ramos aired his hot gun control takes in the face of a spokesperson for the National Rifle Association on Al Punto? Has he ever?
