Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz registered to vote behind bars;1 victim's father tweets outrage
Source: The Charlotte Observer
"Five months after killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, confessed shooter Nikolas Cruz registered to vote from Broward County Jail."
Read more: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article221481465.html
Wow, I'm speechless
Squinch
(51,004 posts)Until he is convicted, he has this right.
Figures he registered as a Republican, though.
Haggis for Breakfast
(6,831 posts)as well as being ID'd by dozens of eye-witness accounts by the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, HE CONFESSED. That pretty much removes the "innocent until proven guilty" part.
As I have written here before, my niece attends MSD HS in Parkland, Florida. She was 15.
Allow me to tell you about that day. Cruz planned his murderous spree in advance. He left notes. He specifically targeted that building, known on campus as The Freshman Building, because that is where the majority of their classes are held. My niece was in class when they heard the gunshots. When in was realized that there was a shooter on campus, her teacher told them to "shelter in place." They turned off the lights, locked the door, piled desks in the two darkest areas of the classroom and hid. As these 15 year old children sat there in the dark, many called home. My niece called my sister to tell her what was happening. My sister has high blood pressure. As she listened, she heard crying and then my niece told her that she had to terminate the call as they heard the shots get closer and closer.
Cruz entered the classroom right next door. He fired multiple times, killing several students, then left that room. My niece's best friend held the hand of a girl who had sustained a gunshot to the chest. The girl died three minutes later, still holding the hand of that girl. He tried to enter the classroom when my niece and her classmates were hiding. He never entered, probably because he didn't see any students in the room. My niece said she held her breath and that time just stood still.
When SWAT came into the building to escort the students outside, my niece walked past dead bodies, lying in pools of blood, brains and internal organs splattered all over the nearby walls. One thing the MSM did not dwell on was this: Cruz aimed his AR-15 at people's faces. This is why it took time for some of the parents to identify their own children. When your child's face has been blown off and obliterated, it can be difficult to make an accurate ID.
Since that day, my niece has been in twice-weekly therapy: group and one-on-one with a therapist. She only recently went back to her own bedroom and stopped sleeping with my sister. But she still insists on keeping the light on. She cannot be left alone. Not even for a minute. She still wakes up screaming from nightmares. Every time she hears a siren, she has a full-blown panic attack. Same thing when a helicopter flies overhead, as that was one of the most prominent things she remembers from that day - all of the helicopters (Broward County Sheriff, FDLE, reporters) buzzing overhead. There are so many things that trigger her, it is nearly impossible to list them all here.
She knew every one of the dead children. They were her friends, her classmates. One of the men had been her athletic coach, but she no longer participates in any sport. She has lost all interest. She has lost so much, she will never be the same.
As a family, we are devastated. She is only 15. It infuriates me that this beautiful, intelligent, delightful child's life has been turned into a daily Hell from which she may never escape and her whole life will now be defined by the actions of Nicolas Cruz.
His image was captured on camera, the kids saw him murder their friends and teachers, and he confessed like he was proud of what he had done. In cold blood, he took the lives of 17 people.
So, please forgive me for not celebrating his "innocence."
He is guilty. May he rot in Hell.
Squinch
(51,004 posts)but our laws work the way our laws work. Until there is a verdict, he has the right to register.
X_Digger
(18,585 posts)marylandblue
(12,344 posts)But he still has a right to vote. Not for his own sake, but for all the other who were in jail that day. Some of whom committed misdemeanors, and so never lose the right. Some of whom will be proven innocent and so never lose the right.
"Innocent until proven guilty" is the law, not to protect the obviously guilty, but to protect the truly innocent. When someone commits a heinous crime, we focus on that person and wonder why he still has rghts. He has rights to protect YOUR rights. Remember that please. It's not about him.
duhneece
(4,117 posts)For elections 2 years from now, make a point of trying to register detainees? Ive made it a point to notify felons that New Mexico allows felons to register to vote once they have completed the terms of their sentence.
Squinch
(51,004 posts)People like Cruz disgust me and I would not go near them.
BUT, for the reasons marylandblue gave above, I am glad you and others are safeguarding ALL OF OUR voting rights by making sure they are extended even to those I would not go near.
marylandblue
(12,344 posts)So he is entitled to vote.
catsudon
(855 posts)the rule of law says he has that right, i just feel really disgusted since we all know he's guilty.
forgotmylogin
(7,530 posts)I know it's part of the rights one loses when incarcerated, but voting isn't fun or something people do frivolously.
Haggis for Breakfast
(6,831 posts)DRoseDARs
(6,810 posts)Broward County followed the law. What law exactly was broken in them doing so? And the smear against Democrats was precious. Cruz registered as a Republican.
Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)But the bottom line is until he's actually convicted, he's innocent until proven guilty. The law has to let him vote. What I don't understand is the father blaming the democrats for this when he registered as a Republican (no surprise there).
Haggis for Breakfast
(6,831 posts)His daughter is dead. Shot to death by Nicolas Cruz. He is still in a state of shock at his loss, as are most of the parents, family and loved ones of the Parkland 17.
His political affiliation does not mitigate his grief. So, perhaps all should try very hard not to criticize a grief-stricken father.
Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)"The Despicable Democrats have no shame.Can't let them steal this election." Angry is one thing, but posting something as derogatory against DEMOCRATS is another.
Link to tweet
marylandblue
(12,344 posts)Igel
(35,356 posts)Because it's really bad to dehumanize people like that, I thought. Even those who actually murder.
Lucky Luciano
(11,258 posts)Last edited Sat Nov 10, 2018, 09:24 PM - Edit history (1)
orangecrush
(19,617 posts)Devil Child
(2,728 posts)Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)Yes, I'm sorry you lost your child. The only people that ever tried to prevent tragedies like that from happening were Democrats. Republicans let your daughter's murderer have a military grade weapon. And now, somehow, it's the liberals fault your son registered to vote as a Republican in order to "steal the election" from Republicans.
Sorry dude, you stupid. I know you're a victim of a horrible tragedy, but you're still stupid and being a victim doesn't make you any less stupid. Fortunately, most of the Parkland students who survived and went on the help the Democrats win and restore sanity to our nation aren't as dumb as this man.
demmiblue
(36,885 posts)Response to demmiblue (Reply #14)
Ferrets are Cool This message was self-deleted by its author.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,110 posts)Thank you for posting it.
demmiblue
(36,885 posts)Some people will never learn, no matter the price.
RIP, Meadow.
quakerboy
(13,921 posts)1) im sorry this father is hurting. Losing a child is soulrending.
2) echoing others, its unfortunate he's angry at dems when the killer is a republican.
3) Voting is a right. I dont see what a persons criminal history has to do with their right to to vote. Even in a case like this. If you are a citizen, voting is your right and your responsibility, and giving anyone the ability to block that for any reason really seems sketchy to me.
cannabis_flower
(3,765 posts)Republicans are the ones stopping sensible gun laws.
quakerboy
(13,921 posts)Theres a lotta layers to that onion, and very few legitimately rest at the steps of those he has chosen to blame.
obamanut2012
(26,137 posts)He and his son use her death to get away with "owning the libs." I live here, they suck.
Voltaire2
(13,155 posts)sfwriter
(3,032 posts)may he find remorse and grief appropriate to his actions
Roy Rolling
(6,933 posts)He has a right to register. The fact he is a murderer and registered as a gun-loving Republican should be the source of his outrage.
Regardless, he's entitled to rage at either case. He is personally invested.
Gore1FL
(21,151 posts)I am glad to see he is actually doing something responsible.
JI7
(89,264 posts)JI7
(89,264 posts)obamanut2012
(26,137 posts)And use her death for shit like this.
Cruz registered GOP, which it looks like Pollack missed. Asshat.
KWR65
(1,098 posts)Haggis for Breakfast
(6,831 posts)have so little empathy for Mr. Pollack. He is a grief-stricken father. That he is lashing out in all directions is not too hard to understand. Many of us (the family of the Parkland 17 and all of those impacted children) have had a very difficult time trying to come to grips with what has happened to us and our families. Our lives are never going to return to 'normal' again.
Some people here have called him "stupid" and "deplorable" which breaks my heart. Here, on DU of all places, people are trash talking a man whose life has been turned upside down and inside out. His child is dead. He is struggling. Every day. Please people, dig deep and try to understand.
If you have never been impacted by this kind of violence, congratulations. I hope you never know what this kind of soul-shattering heartbreak is all about. I pray that none of you never find out.
But please, don't pile on this man. No one has the slightest idea of what his life is now like and what he goes through everyday, just trying to find his way. He is lost. So many of us are. Sympathize, don't criticize. Please.
obamanut2012
(26,137 posts)A colleague is a neighbor of his, and he has been a Deplorable for years. He and his son have used Meadow's death to get a pass on being wingnuts. Fuck that. It dishonors her life and her death.
Lucky Luciano
(11,258 posts)He has deplorable written all over his face.
Obviously, what happened to his daughter is a monumental tragedy, but he is still an asshole.
jcmaine72
(1,773 posts)pintobean
(18,101 posts)This place has gotten much worse over the last couple of years. Hatred for an R trumps everything here, including empathy.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)His hatred lies with Democrats. I don't think anyone has anything against him by pointing that out plus the shooter registered as a Republican. I can't speak for anyone else but I have plenty of empathy.
Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)Being a victim of a tragedy is not a blank check to spread ignorance, hatred, and lies.
pintobean
(18,101 posts)Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)No one asked you to.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)kcr
(15,320 posts)It's possible to acknowledge both. If you can't handle that, DU isn't for you. There's no excuse to post the horrible right wing shit that father says, even if he suffered horrible loss.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Julian Englis
(2,309 posts)Until he is convicted, no matter how strong the evidence, he still has his rights.
We members of the Democratic Party hold this sacred.
We are not like the right wing lynch mobs.
Zing Zing Zingbah
(6,496 posts)I don't see any problem with this at all.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)Because no one here would for one second defend his right to vote Republican.
tammywammy
(26,582 posts)He registered as a republican.
He's gets the right to vote since he's not convicted. I didn't even see anything that says that he actually voted, just that he was registered to vote.
I think people that aren't convicted should still be allowed to register and vote as is their right. It's not about Cruz, it's about all people that have been arrested and not convicted not having their rights taken away.
JI7
(89,264 posts)kcr
(15,320 posts)He's registered Republican. Multiple people have pointed that out. If you think most people support voting rights only for those who vote like them, then I suspect there's a little projection going on, there.