Echos of NRA in Kass Mercy Hospital shooting column

John Kass never misses a opportunity to display heartless cynicism regarding the political process. His column on the Mercy Hospital mass shooting, however, is among his most cynical. While spending most of the piece lamenting the tragedy on the families involved, Kass couldn't miss a chance to denigrate people of good will seeking to reduce gun violence with this cruel quote:

"There are plenty of politics to be played here, about whether the murders could have been prevented and what could have been done. But I’ll leave those hot and eager to play politics with the dead to hold their news conferences and make their speeches and do their virtue signaling."

That quote could have come straight from the NRA public relations office. His long column could be summed up thusly: "No solutions here. Let's just have a good cry while awaiting the next mass shooting."

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn