People online are cheering after Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dealt a blistering take-down to gun-obsessed far-right Republican Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert for her response to the Uvalde school shooting.
In the wake of the shooting, Boebert posted a string of absurd tweets denying the validity of legislation or government intervention on the issue of gun violence, saying "you cannot legislate away evil."
Ocasio-Cortez, speaking for many, immediately clapped back demanding to know why Boebert bothers even working in public service if this is her view, and challenging her to lead or get out of the way in a fiery quote tweet.
You can read the tweet below:
Why even be in Congress if you don’t believe in doing your job?
Just quit and let someone who actually gives a damn do it instead of acting like a useless piece of furniture when babies are shot with AR15s that we let teen boys impulse buy before they can legally have a beer. https://t.co/f9rdJ40kEJ
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 25, 2022
Responding directly to Boebert's feeble claim about legislating evil, Ocasio-Cortez asked Boebert:
"Why even be in Congress if you don’t believe in doing your job?"
She then excoriated Boebert's inaction on the issue, slamming her as "useless" and urging her to leave Congress.
"Just quit and let someone who actually gives a damn do it instead of acting like a useless piece of furniture when babies are shot with AR15s that we let teen boys impulse buy before they can legally have a beer."
Ocasio-Cortez's referencing of teens' access to guns is particularly apt in regards to Boebert.
Not only has she very publicly opposed even the most basic gun-control measures, but she has also supported her own underage teen sons' having assault rifles, as depicted in a viral photo of her and her sons posed by a Christmas tree holding AR15s last December that has resurfaced in the wake of Uvalde.
Predictably, Boebert's response to Ocasio-Cortez was no less heated--and also rife with misinformation.
Ms. Defund the Police,
Gun Free Zones have proven to be deadly.
Let me know when you’re ready to do your job and effectively protect our schools with armed security.
Let’s meet and solve this. https://t.co/W88H8vEynx
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) May 25, 2022
Boebert wrote:
"Ms. Defund the Police,"
"Gun Free Zones have proven to be deadly."
"Let me know when you’re ready to do your job and effectively protect our schools with armed security."
"Let’s meet and solve this."
Armed security in schools has repeatedly been shown to increase violence and raise death counts in school shootings.
And an armed officer who works at the Uvalde school along with two other law enforcement colleagues all shot at the shooter Tuesday morning. They were unable to stop him.
On Twitter, people applauded Ocasio-Cortez for not holding back with Boebert.
SHEEEESSSH
Queen SPITTIN https://t.co/7gc8Zl2YpT
— Raven 🎀 (@FriskyBiscuit9) May 26, 2022
Ms. Boebert apparently has no concept of what evil is, nor how to stop it.
— Grandma Vickie (@VickieW47132882) May 25, 2022
My thoughts exactly, @RepAOC @AOC https://t.co/D8LTwDoiJN
— Julia Fusco-Luberoff💜 🌊🌹🥁👨🏻🦽❄️♀️ (she/her) (@Julia_VIOO) May 25, 2022
This exactly, and not just about gun issues. Get into public service because you want to actually DO something with it, not just because you like being treated like you're important and have a fancy office. https://t.co/rJFT8pgHr0
— Peter Orlowicz (@PeterOrlowicz) May 25, 2022
It's 2022
A member of your government has publicly called another member of your government a "useless piece of furniture."
...
And they're 100% correct. What a time to be alive. https://t.co/9aq2yQ3uZC
— Trevor (@TrevorB_18) May 25, 2022
It is infuriating watching conservatives suddenly believe that no legislation can fix anything after months of screaming to criminalize every facet of reproductive health, its providers, its receivers, people who would help access it, etc etc. Fucking hypocrites, and they know it https://t.co/FCJMODur9U
— Joel Berger (@joelaberger) May 25, 2022
AOC gives Boebert more credit than she deserves.
— RJYttri (@Tanner1976) May 26, 2022
The two easiest things to buy in Colorado are an AK-47 and a Lauren Boebert.
— Captain Obvious (@TheFungi669) May 25, 2022
EXACTLY! officials are 'elected' to do a job for their constituents! if they are NOT doing that job then they should NOT be in Congress!🤬 if they are not proposing legislation to make American lives better, why are they there--they are there to make a difference! #VoteBlue2022 https://t.co/o5w9YwJm5k
— Frankie Dee (@fdprocomp) May 25, 2022
Please. pic.twitter.com/vEVJwn1hfd
— 9fm (@aJellyElectric) May 25, 2022
Boebert is one of the most gun-obsessed members of Congress and has repeatedly used gun rights to make spectacles of herself, including sending a pro-gun fundraising email just two hours after a mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado last year.
