Hours after Nashville massacre, radical activists exploited horror to push ... trends now
It was just the latest in a series of harrowing attacks that have become all too sickeningly familiar to millions of Americans: a young outcast wandering school corridors armed with assault-style rifles, innocent children and teachers shot dead in their classrooms, bodycams of brave police taking down the deranged threat in a hail of gunfire.
In Nashville last week, surveillance video of 28-year-old Audrey Hale showed her blasting her way through the school's glass doors. In under 10 minutes, she had killed the school principal, custodian, a beloved substitute teacher, and three 9-year-old children. Evelyn Dieckhaus, a blond-haired third grader, was gunned down as she tried to pull a fire alarm to warn her classmates. William Kinney, 9, was looking forward to starting baseball in the spring. Hallie Scruggs, 9, was the school pastor's daughter.
It was the 19th school shooting this year alone.
This time, there was a particular distinction. The killer was female, and had recently identified as a transgender male.
Days after the massacre, Hale's motive still remains a mystery. But a picture of her life is emerging. Hale had been presenting socially as a male during her last months and was reportedly being seen by a medical professional for an 'emotional disorder.'
It's still unknown whether she ever received hormone treatments or had begun a medical gender transition, or if her transitioning had any bearing on her actions whatsoever – all we know for sure is that Hale's devoutly Christian parents 'couldn't accept' that she was transgender, and that she had once been a student at the Covenant School.
Yet regardless of Hale's lethal motivation, it seems extraordinary that in the hours immediately following the horror, transgender activists and advocates would choose to posture on social media and talk of 'vengeance'.
Days after the massacre, Hale's (above) motive still remains a mystery. But a picture of her life is emerging. Hale had been presenting socially as a male during her last months and was reportedly being seen by a medical professional for an 'emotional disorder.'
Prominent trans activist Eli Erlick labelled the Covenant School as a 'right-wing institution,' which 'abused Audrey Hale and many others.' Erlick's accusations did not include any evidence of Hale's abuse, which, if it exists, has still not emerged.
The press secretary for Arizona's Democratic governor tweeted an image of a woman pointing two handguns alongside the caption: 'Us when we see transphobes.' She has since resigned.
Meanwhile, trans advocacy group The Trans Resistance Network released a statement to its followers, recognizing the 'tragedy' of six innocent people losing their lives, but also ominously including the phrase: 'Hate has consequences.'
And a group that calling itself the Trans Radical Activist Network (TRAN) initially announced that despite the shooting, it would go ahead with a pre-planned 'Trans Day of Vengeance' demonstration outside the Supreme Court on Saturday. The event has since been canceled after organizers cited warnings of a 'credible threat to life and safety'.
Trans activists point out that the phrase 'trans day of vengeance' is meme that has circulated for years in the trans community and, they claim, it does not refer to any specific call for violence. Though there was little effort to soften the obviously violent connotations of their message in light of the Nashville slaughter.
And seemingly exposing their views on political violence, the TRAN's website featured a quote from gay and transgender rights activists Sylvia Rivera, who cheered on violent acts during the Stonewall Riots of 1969.
The quote read: 'I remember when someone threw a Molotov cocktail, I thought, 'My god, the revolution is here. The revolution is finally here?''
Evelyn Dieckhaus, a blond-haired third grader, was gunned down as she tried to pull a fire alarm to warn her classmates.
William Kinney, 9, was looking forward to starting baseball in the spring.
Hallie Scruggs (above, center), 9, was the school pastor's daughter.
At a time when Americans needed time to grieve another shooting tragedy, this messages exemplified the vicious debate over transgenderism that is dividing homes, families, state legislatures and likely, eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court.
Often activists pour vitriol on those who question whether minors should have access to life-changing hormones and surgeries. They insist denying this 'care' is akin to a death sentence because it will lead to suicide.
Such positions are no longer confined to extremist margins. Many have been adopted – to one extent or another - by much of mainstream liberal America, including the White House itself.
President Joe Biden called Florida state legislation restricting gender-affirming care 'close to sinful,' and has hosted controversial trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney at the White House.
On Thursday, President Biden released a video marking International
