Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls out NRA, Trump after N.Z. mosque massacre

The freshman lawmaker also exhorted her followers on Twitter to learn more about white supremacy, which she said could be "confusing or challenging."

By ZACK EVANS

MARCH 16, 2019 01:27

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons) — Alexandria Ocasio Cortez

(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to criticize the National Rifle Association in the wake of the massacre, earlier today, of 49 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The attacks were carried out by a white supremacist, who live-streamed them to Facebook.

Ocasio-Cortez first posted a video of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern giving a press conference shortly after the massacre. She wrote, "At 1st I thought of saying, “Imagine being told your house of faith isn’t safe anymore.” But I couldn’t say 'imagine.'. Because of Charleston. Pittsburgh. Sutherland Springs. What good are your thoughts & prayers when they don’t even keep the pews safe?

At 1st I thought of saying, “Imagine being told your house of faith isn’t safe anymore.”But I couldn’t say “imagine.”Because of Charleston.Pittsburgh.Sutherland Springs.What good are your thoughts & prayers when they don’t even keep the pews safe?pic.twitter.com/2mSw0azDN8
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

Ocasio-Cortez then seemed to realize that the above tweet could be read as a criticism of Prime Minister Ardern, following which she clarified that, "('Thoughts and prayers' is reference to the NRA's phrase used to deflect conversation away from policy change during tragedies. Not directed to PM Ardern, who I greatly admire.)"

(“Thoughts and prayers” is reference to the NRA’s phrase used to deflect conversation away from policy change during tragedies. Not directed to PM Ardern, who I greatly admire.)
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

Continuing on Twitter, she criticized President Trump for "defund[ing] Federal programs designed to fight the spread of white supremacist hate groups."

All of these are terrorist incidents.We have a responsibility to understand how white supremacy + online radicalization works, because it is impacting our entire society.President Trump defunded Federal programs designed to fight the spread of white supremacist hate groups. https://t.co/7WgC65f5Fp
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

She also called for people to learn more about white supremacy, saying, "At first, learning about white supremacy can be confusing or challenging. There’s a lot there, + it can be emotionally hard to realize one may have done or participated in something racist in the past (& still may slip up!). That’s okay. The whole point is learning + improving.

At first, learning about white supremacy can be confusing or challenging.There’s a lot there, + it can be emotionally hard to realize one may have done or participated in something racist in the past (& still may slip up!).That’s okay. The whole point is learning + improving.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019