Liberty Hangout - Kaitlin Bennett - Dan Crenshaw Messaged Me

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Aug. 26, 2019 - Liberty Hangout - Kaitlin Bennett

20:11

Dan Crenshaw Messaged Me

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	You are never going to believe who messaged me on Twitter the other day.
	Freshman Congressman Dan Crenshaw from Texas.
	But you'll be surprised to hear that it wasn't a message of support, and your opinions about him may change completely after I tell you what he said to me.
	So back in 2018, after Republican Ted Poe announced that he would be retiring from Congress, Navy SEAL named Dan Crenshaw entered into the race in hopes of taking Poe's seat in Washington.
	Crenshaw almost came up short and actually lost the primary election to Kevin Roberts by six percentage points.
	But because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, it went to a runoff.
	Which Crenshaw did end up winning.
	Crenshaw barely defeated his Democratic opponent in the general election because conservatives in Texas were branding him an anti-Trump liberal for calling Trump an insane idiot with hateful rhetoric and for supporting the progressive idea of letting Medicare negotiate drug prices.
	Nonetheless, Crenshaw prevailed by a mere 6% of the vote and was elected to his first term in Congress.
	After Saturday Night Live host Pete Davidson joked about Crenshaw's eye patch in front of millions of viewers, Crenshaw became an instant GOP darling.
	It is now arguably one of the most influential Republicans in office, despite it only being his first term.
	Appearing at political conferences, interacting with youth voters, and responding to his peers online, Crenshaw brought a lot of hope to conservatives that have been searching for a voice that can finally represent them in Congress.
	But that hope began to evaporate last month after Crenshaw failed to have the president's back after the media took him out of context and lied about his go back comments.
	Crenshaw took to Twitter to signal his virtue to any liberals who might be following him, saying, POTUS shouldn't suggest Congresswoman should leave because of their rhetoric.
	Now keep in mind, this is coming from the same guy who said Trump's insane rhetoric is hateful and called him an idiot back in 2015.
	Then after two national tragedies swept the headlines, Crenshaw lost any remaining support he had from Second Amendment activists after he called for red flag gun laws just a few weeks ago.
	Crenshaw tweeted, the solutions aren't obvious even if we pretend they are, but we must try.
	Let's start with the TAFS Act.
	Maybe also implement state red flag laws or gun violence restraining orders.
	Stop them before they can hurt someone.
	Crenshaw's position was so widely unpopular that it received the ratio treatment on Twitter, and more than 5,000 people responded angrily to his tweet, with many of the responses including funny memes about the Texas congressmen.
	But instead of listening to his supporters and the people he represents, Crenshaw decided to double down on his position and said that he was dissatisfied that his supporters weren't listening to him.
	In a video posted to Twitter just a few days later, Crenshaw took a stab at his supporters and called their comments hate-filled and accused them of being triggered by the words red flag walls.
	What came out of it instead was hate-filled comments, lots of emotion, a lot of anger, a lot of memes.
	Uh a lot of memes, by the way, which could be improved.
	Okay, but that's not the point.
	The point is, is that clearly even the words red flag law just emotionally triggered a lot of people.
	He then goes on to say that his version of red flag laws are different from the left.
	Because you know, just like how democratic socialism is totally different from socialism.
	Clearly, when we say red flag laws, you guys stop listening.
	You can't hear what we're suggesting.
	Um because understandably you automatically assume that we are just agreeing with the left's version of that law.
	And we all know that the left's version would not be good.
	It would not protect due process.
	Then Crenshaw gleefully admits that at its heart, what he's talking about is the ability to confiscate weapons.
	Watch.
	At its heart, what we're talking about is the ability to confiscate weapons when there is clear evidence that violence is about to be committed.
	But here's my favorite part.
	Not just anybody can accuse you.
	For instance, not just a neighbor, not just an ex.
	It has to be somebody with standing.
	Maybe a family member, or maybe only police officers.
	So not just anybody can accuse you.
	Just my crazy liberal family members who would be happy to see me disarmed.
	Or maybe only police officers.
	You know, like this guy in Iowa that lied about me a pride.
	You understand that you're disturbing people, correct?
	I'm not disturbing anybody.
	Can I tell you something that's happening about this?
	Or these officers in Detroit that didn't care about leftists shoving me.
	You guys gotta move out.
	They need you to move out.
	Why?
	I am I'm being followed.
	Or how about these cops in New Jersey that were ready to kick me out of Rutgers University because some liberals got mad that I was filming in front of a communist memorial.
	I don't even know.
	I don't really know why I'm here.
	Yeah, I'm sure giving the government the ability to determine if I should have firearms would be a great idea and a totally conservative solution.
	I'm sure all of the Democratic politicians that control the police totally wouldn't abuse their powers and disarm conservatives.
	So after Dan Crenshaw and Donald Trump both voiced their support for red flag laws, I took to Twitter to express my frustration.
	I tweeted, Republicans are spineless.
	Shame on Donald Trump and Dan Crenshaw for supporting gun control.
	The actions of others don't determine my rights, and you're stabbing your voters in the back.
	Don't expect to get re-elected if you want your voters to be left defenseless.
	After Crenshaw released his cringe-worthy video about doubling down on his support for red flag laws, I tweeted, the ghost of John McCain lives on in Dan Crenshaw.
	You haven't even been in office for a year, yet you've already sold out to the gun grabbers.
	What part of shall not be infringed is too hard to understand.
	Then last week when I was in Boston, I grabbed a photo with a red, white, and blue rhino in Quincy Market and tweeted it out saying, I got a photo with Dan Crenshaw today.
	Hashtag rhino.
	Despite following me on Twitter, Crenshaw never responded to my prior two tweets about his support for red flag laws.
	Strangely, it was my photo with the fake rhino that caught his attention and triggered him enough to message me.
	And instead of messaging me to further explain his position or ask why I feel the way I do about him, Crenshaw decided to act like a teenage girl and attack me for my activism.
	Now at first I was a little hesitant to publish our conversation out of respect for Congressman Crenshaw.
	But after reading through our messages multiple times, I saw no respect towards me.
	And he gave me no assurances that he would protect the second amendment.
	I also think it's very important for voters to have transparency about who they're supporting.
	And some of what Crenshaw said to me is very damning and telling of his character.
	So let's get started.
	So clear back in April, after I was kicked out of a Bernie Sanders rally for no reason whatsoever, I messaged my video to Dan Crenshaw to ask if he'd help share it and expose the hypocrisy of the Sanders campaign.
	Crenshaw never shared the video or responded, but then last week after posting my photo with the rhino, he sent a lengthy message to me because he was mad about my tweets.
	He wrote, I came across this old message from you as I was going through my inbox.
	The notice you've been talking about me a lot, and I have to wonder, do you still believe there's a problem with hypocrisy towards dissenting views?
	Have you not also fallen into that category?
	Isn't that video you made at the Sanders rally an example of the same victimhood policies we accuse the left of?
	And what good do you think will come of purposely distorting my views and making an enemy out of me?
	Really?
	What good?
	How does it help the bigger argument in favor of the second amendment?
	And really ask yourself, does your in-your-face activism actually persuade anyone to be on our side?
	Do you even care?
	I was so startled to have received this message and in complete shock that a sitting congressman would message a 23-year-old girl over her tweets.
	But what concerned me the most was that in the video he posted a few weeks ago, he said that he's seen all the memes and had a lot of private conversations with people.
	And yet this is how he chose to respond to me for my criticisms of his position.
	I responded to Crenshaw by saying, Hey Dan, for one, I come at things a bit different than you.
	I honestly don't care about persuading people to be on our side.
	I am more focused on trying to inspire those already on our side to not be afraid to stand up for themselves since we're constantly threatened, belittled, and censored for daring to disagree with the mainstream media.
	I go out and am frequently assaulted for asking liberals simple questions, such as, do you disavow firebombing ice detention centers?
	I don't feel there's any persuasion possible when they can't even disavow terrorism and will shove me for asking.
	But it will expose the left for how radical and intolerant they are and inspire our side to not be afraid to stand up for themselves if a five foot four girl can do it.
	To your question though, I don't wish to make an enemy out of you.
	And I really want to like you.
	But the moment you start proposing ideas that I believe run antithetical to our second amendment, you lose my support.
	I feel exactly the same way about Trump right now and have been even more disappointed about his stance on the second.
	Red flag laws have already gotten people killed, and in an age where Republicans are being labeled as white super sauces and members, you know this power would be abused, and you know it would lead to the disarmament of the people who support you.
	The fact that you were bothered enough by my tweets to message me shows both me and yourself that you know conservatives aren't happy with your position on it.
	And I really hope you're having second thoughts.
	We already have everyone on the left calling for gun control.
	The right needs someone to stand up for the second amendment just as strongly as they stand against it.
	I really hope you can be that person.
	Now, instead of addressing anything that I said, Crenshaw decided to insult my activism some more and said, Your private comments are very different from your public ones, which gives me a sense of what your real goals are.
	Attention, not advocacy.
	Your concerns about those laws are valid, and I've addressed those concerns in detail and referenced the Cato testimony for a true understanding of the subject.
	But your public rhetoric is going to hurt our cause far more than help it.
	As you said, you don't care about that.
	Again, engaging in victimhood politics is what the left does, not what conservatives do.
	You pretending publicly that I am against you is exactly that.
	Victimhood politics.
	I hope one day you'll realize that.
	Good luck.
	At literally no point during this did I even find it cool that I was messaging the Dan Crenshaw.
	I was instead disgusted that a member of Congress that claims to support the same things I do was trying to make excuses for why he supports gun control and insulting my activism instead of trying to have a decent conversation and try to change my mind on red flag laws.
	I addressed this with him in my next message and made some suggestions for what I would like to see an elected conservative do in office for our gun rights.
	I said, out of everything I said to you, all you took out of this was a way to insult me further and complain about how you're upset with my public comments.
	I only tweeted about you three times, and when I went back and looked, I don't see how my public rhetoric is any different than here.
	You are a US representative, and you were supposed to represent the voices like myself that hold no vote in Congress.
	As you can see, a lot of conservatives are unhappy that this is your proposal instead of proposing legislation that will walk back gun control laws that we already have.
	These mass shootings keep happening in gun-free zones.
	Why not focus on that?
	Why not focus on walking back all the current restrictions on firearm ownership?
	I'm extremely disturbed that instead of listening to the people that want you to represent their voices, you're here complaining about your perceived notion that I want attention.
	But right now, what I do doesn't even matter.
	I am not in Congress.
	I don't influence the law.
	I don't hold any power, but you do.
	And how you use it is way more important than what Caitlin Bennett is tweeting.
	Not only are you in a position that all the rest of us conservatives on Twitter aren't, but the president of the United States respects your opinions and holds you in high regard.
	And he has not been a friend of the second amendment.
	You have a chance to influence the most powerful man on the planet to do something about these gun-free zones and not play into the narrative that we need certain restrictions in order to combat tragedies.
	I went on to explain how I was actually happy he messaged me because it gave me the chance to say these things to him directly and said, even if you were still upset with my tweets, I am happy you messaged me because I'm glad I'm able to address this with you directly.
	I'm happy an elected representative is having a conversation with me about the issue most important to me.
	The Dayton shooter was actually tweeting about me the day before he went on his rampage, and that terrified me.
	People would use red flag laws against me because they don't like how outspoken I am, including some members of my own family, and I don't deserve to be left defenseless because of it.
	I need someone to stand up for my rights now more than ever because with all the Democrats talking about completely banning semi-autos, it seriously scares me that I'm going to be left defenseless in the near future.
	Please hear me out.
	I hope you are seriously think about this.
	Now, I was trying to have a serious dialogue with an elected member of Congress, and I was genuinely hopeful that he might hear me out and make my voice feel represented.
	But he did exactly the opposite and again ignored everything I said to throw more insults my way and criticize my activism.
	Even though his job in Congress is a million times more important than what I put on mine.
	His next and final message to me is perhaps the most damning.
	Congressman Crenshaw said to me, I've been thinking seriously about this policy for years.
	It was not something I just recently heard of.
	So let me get this straight.
	The guy who said on his campaign website, I will always fight for Second Amendment rights, and I will never allow the government to prevent law-abiding citizens from defending themselves, Is admitting that he lied to get votes and has actually supported gun control for years.
	Sounds like the Texans who called him an anti-Trump liberal during the primary last year were absolutely right.
	He continues, the NRA supported well crafted G VRO.
	These ideas have long been the conservative response to the left's gun control measures.
	Nothing happened.
	As long as due process is strongly protected.
	For instance, there is no way the scenario you outlined above could actually take place when these laws are written correctly.
	Again, look to the Cato testimony for more details.
	Also, I noticed I messaged you privately and did not bash you publicly.
	I reached out to many influencers on this subject.
	Your tactics were to use your platform to engage in petty insults.
	I chose not to do that, even after you doubled down.
	I hear from some activists like yourself that your public insults were the only way to make me listen.
	I assure you it has the opposite effect.
	I hope you rethink your tactics in the future because they are only effective at alienating people on both sides.
	You won't ever persuade anyone and you'll drive out your allies.
	Neither is good.
	When you alienate people, you remove yourself from any productive conversations.
	As you move forward as an activist, you should ask yourself if that's really what you want.
	It's so funny he wants to accuse me of alienating people when he is alienating all of his voters by endorsing red flag laws and alienating influencers like me who reached millions of people by insulting my work.
	He wanted to make all of his messages about me and the work I've done.
	But even if I was the worst person on the planet and every gripe he had about me was correct, that wouldn't even matter.
	I hold no power, but Dan Crenshaw does.
	And he offered no self-reflection for how important his duty to protect the Constitution is.
	He chose to insult me and belittle me instead of answering how he's going to defend the second amendment.
	While Dan lost his cool and made it entirely clear the whole time that he was upset about my tweets, I maintained a calm and professional attitude and hoped that would get him to have a serious conversation with me.
	But that never happened, and my heartfelt last message to him went unanswered.
	I wrote, Dan, this has nothing to do with me and my activism.
	I know you know that.
	It has to do with you being elected conservative looking to adopt a conservative form of gun control.
	I don't know what more I can really say that I didn't already.
	You are an elected member of Congress that has the power to take away my guns or expand my right to self-defense.
	All I can really say is I hope you will choose the latter.
	I'm going to be brutally honest and tell you I don't think Texans will re-elect you to a second term if they can't be confident that you will.
	I've expressed a lot of concerns to you about my fears for this country and you haven't really reassured me that you will see to it that you will fight to end gun free zones and firearm restrictions.
	Have a good night and I hope you can sleep on this one.
	You said in your video not to worry because this is just an idea you have and not yet an actual bill you're supporting.
	So I'm hopeful you can use our input as an opportunity to think of a better solution that we would like to see.
	Of course, I walked away from this conversation extremely disappointed that a rising star in the GOP could offer me no reassurances that he would see to it that I can continue to have the right to defend myself in this country.
	His emotional temperament made it clear to me that his power has gone to his head.
	And his version of red flag gun laws won't be any different from the Democrats.
	If he's so mad about me tweeting a photo with a fake rhino, imagine what he might want the government to do to people he doesn't like after red flag laws pass.
	Who's to say he won't want the state to come and seize my firearms?
	Considering that he admitted to me that he supported red flag laws for years, I can't say I trust him with that power.
	Red flag laws are already getting law-abiding citizens killed, and Dan Crenshaw doesn't seem to care.
	At around the same time that Crenshaw was elected into Congress back in November, police in Maryland shot and killed a 61-year-old man named Gary Willis after they quote arrived at the house at 5-17 a.m. to remove guns from the home under a new wall that temporarily allows for the seizure of firearms.
	And in Connecticut, a 22-year-old college student was arrested and banned from his campus for sharing a meme.
	Crenshaw knows that red flag laws will not stop gun violence, but will only create more of it.
	It will leave the very people that voted for him defenseless and let politicians decide if they are fit to own firearms.
	And if people are already getting red flagged over sharing memes, what will happen when Dan Crenshaw gets butthurt over any new memes people make about him?
	I would like to say that I'm surprised by Dan Crenshaw's messages to me, but after finding out that he met with mom's demand action to discuss red flag laws way back in February, I realized that he's just a powerthirsty politician trying to manipulate Republicans into turning in their guns.
	He thinks that he knows what's best for this country.
	But thanks to the second amendment, he doesn't have the right to make that decision.
	Dan, if you are watching this, I hope you will listen to me now since you didn't care to listen to me when I was messaging you.
	You're a veteran that lost your eye fighting for our country.
	If you fought for our freedom, then you have no right to try to take it away.
	And while this may sound cruel, it is completely truthful that your service to this country is entirely meaningless if you were going to now serve the interest of gun grabbing organizations like moms demand action and fight to take away our freedom instead of protecting it.
	I don't want to hear you tout about your military service ever again.
	If you can't even stand up for our most basic right to self-defense.
	Our rights are under attack like never before, and instead of being brave like you once were in combat, you were choosing to cower in a corner.
	You have taken sides with the red coats and ensured that Texans will never elect you into office again.
	Need I remind you, you didn't even win your primary the last time, and you definitely won't win it the next.
	You provided us some much needed hope last year, but that's all gone now.
	And I look forward to endorsing whoever challenges you in the primary in 2020.
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