If you are the sort of person who likes to go hunting or enjoys target shooting, TBS’s Samantha Bee holds you, at least, partly responsible for gun violence in America. On Thursday’s edition of Full Frontal, Bee proclaimed that “Human lives are not an acceptable cost for a hobby.”
During one of her typical rants, Bee lamented there has not been any recent gun control legislation, “For years we’ve known we have a gun violence epidemic in this country, but the past few weeks have been almost unbearable, and while you might think all of this would finally bring everyone together to do something, you’d be wrong and honestly, kind of dumb. Come on, this is America!”
A clip of CNN’s Laura Coates was then played with Coates reciting some recent polling, “Forty-four percent of Republicans nationwide indicate that they accept mass shootings as inevitable, as part of a quote ‘Free society.’
The poll in question had only two options, the one Coates focused on and “something we can prevent and stop if we really tried.” A better pollster would’ve defined what “really tried” means because otherwise it looks at just a manipulative way to ask about gun control.
Still, Bee declared, “That is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard. Human lives are not an acceptable cost for a hobby, unless your hobby is ritually sacrificing human lives, in which case, okay, I can at least follow the logic. I mean, that’s the whole point.”
No gun-related hobby is responsible for gun violence and shooting people is not a hobby. Bee should also probably be more careful about jokes about human sacrifice. Still, she declared “it’s not looking like things will get better soon. In fact, in the short term, things will likely get worse.”
Bee then played several clips relating to New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, a case over whether New York’s ban on concealed carry permits absent a compelling reason violates the Second Amendment.
The last of these clips was of Chief Justice John Roberts asking during oral arguments, “You don't have to say when you are looking for a permit to speak on a street corner or whatever that, you know, your speech is particularly important, so why do you have to show in this case, convince somebody you are entitled to exercise your Second Amendment right?”
To which the Bee rejoined, “Because guns kill people and words do not, you idiot!”
Forty-one states currently have “shall issue” laws, meaning that an overturning of New York’s law would not be that radical.
This segment was sponsored by Samsung.
TBS Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
6/9/2022
10:33 PM ET
SAMANTHA BEE: For years we’ve known we have a gun violence epidemic in this country, but the past few weeks have been almost unbearable, and while you might think all of this would finally bring everyone together to do something, you’d be wrong and honestly, kind of dumb. Come on, this is America!
LAURA COATES: Forty-four percent of Republicans nationwide indicate that they accept mass shootings as inevitable, as part of a quote "Free society."
BEE: That is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard. Human lives are not an acceptable cost for a hobby, unless your hobby is ritually sacrificing human lives, in which case, okay, I can at least follow the logic. I mean, that’s the whole point. Sadly, it’s not looking like things will get better soon. In fact, in the short term, things will likely get worse.
UNIDENTIFIED WCBS MALE REPORTER: Bracing for a Supreme Court ruling that could make it easier to carry a gun in the state of New York.
PETE WILLIAMS: New York bans carrying a handgun openly in public. Residents can get a permit to carry a concealed weapon, but only if they can show some special need. Gun rights advocates sued, saying that violates the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
JOHN ROBERTS: You don't have to say when you are looking for a permit to speak on a street corner or whatever that, you know, your speech is particularly important, so why do you have to show in this case, convince somebody you are entitled to exercise your Second Amendment right?
BEE: Because guns kill people and words do not, you idiot!
