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During an appearance on Fox News, Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson blamed "liberal indoctrination" for school shootings, suggesting the United States has "stopped teaching values."
Johnson, who issued his remarks in the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, went on to claim school shootings happen because schools are "teaching wokeness," suggesting progressive ideals are at fault for the murders of 19 children and two teachers.
Johnson evoked another conservative bogeyman in his remarks, namely critical race theory, a body of legal and academic scholarship that aims to examine how racism and disparate racial outcomes have shaped public policy via often implicit social and institutional dynamics.
You can hear what he said in the video below.
\u201cSen. Ron Johnson blames "liberal indoctrination" for school shootings: "We stopped teaching values. Now we're teaching wokeness. We're indoctrinating our children with things like CRT."\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1653658681
None of Johnson's claims made any logical sense, and they soon caught the attention of VoteVets, a political action committee (PAC) and 501(c)(4) nonprofit military veterans organization that promotes progressive solutions to issues like housing, hunger and healthcare and is dedicated to electing veterans to public office.
VoteVets criticized Johnson for suggesting "teaching American history and embracing diversity" is responsible for gun violence.
The organization pointed out "the glaringly obvious"—namely "the only thing that will reduce gun violence is by decreasing access to weapons of war."
\u201cHey @RonJohnsonWI, teaching American history and embracing diversity isn\u2019t what causes gun violence. You can pretend it\u2019s anything but the glaringly obvious all you want, but the only thing that will reduce gun violence is by decreasing access to weapons of war. That\u2019s on you.\u201d— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1653664451
False claims schools have been teaching critical race theory to young children has inflamed hostilities among the right-wing, particularly since the publication of The 1619 Project, which repositions the consequences and legacy of slavery as elements vital to the historical narrative.
Although critical race theory is just one branch of an incredibly varied arena of academic scholarship, it has nonetheless served as a flashpoint among the far-right amid a campaign by Republicans to energize conservative voters, particularly in school board elections.
Johnson's comments exposed him to significant criticism online.
\u201c@votevets @RonJohnsonWI If learning about other cultures inspires you to mass violence, then there is something terribly wrong with what is being taught at home. These politicians are cowards. It\u2019s that simple.\u201d— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1653664451
\u201c@votevets @RonJohnsonWI Ron, why didn't the good guys rush the bad guy rather than waiting an hour? Read the 11 year old's hour long ordeal.\n\n#GOPGunsOverPeople \n#AbbottHasBloodOnHisHands\u201d— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1653664451
\u201c@votevets @RonJohnsonWI Senator you don't even make sense but here the problem it's the republicans that scare of death if they did something about gun laws they would loose power. It's republicans don't want to get off your asses and do your f**king jobs.\u201d— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1653664451
\u201c@votevets @RonJohnsonWI I don't want to be the one to tell you but I think he's developed an immunity to shame, hypocrisy, and fact-checking, and is probably a 250-year-old night-feeder like Rick Scott.\u201d— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1653664451
\u201c@votevets @obbiecole @RonJohnsonWI Then someone please explain to me why we don\u2019t have this problem with girls and young women.\u201d— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1653664451
\u201c@votevets @RonJohnsonWI What all prescriptions are you on Ron?\u201d— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1653664451
\u201cTexas legislature approves curriculum. Texas legislature, is and has been for decades, controlled by conservatives.\nSo\u2026.this holds no water. Stop making excuses and start making regulations.\u201d— Madison Baldwin (@Madison Baldwin) 1653673107
\u201c@SenRonJohnson You are a sick, twisted individual who cares more for an ideological war against his own CONSTITUENTS than the lives of actual children. And CRT does not seek to make white children feel responsible for slavery - it\u2019s taught in LAW SCHOOL! Find another argument!\u201d— meg says acab (@meg says acab) 1653673115
Johnson has a long record of opposing comprehensive gun control measures.
In 2013, Johnson sponsored a bill to prohibit the Department of Justice (DOJ) from tracking and cataloging the purchases of multiple rifles and shotguns.
That same year, he was one of 12 Republican Senators to sign a letter threatening to filibuster any newly introduced gun control legislation.
According to publicly available information from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a nonprofit organization that advocates for gun control and against gun violence, Johnson has accepted $1,269,486 from the National Rifle Association (NRA), which routinely stymies efforts to address gun violence.