RantCrush Top 5: February 8, 2017

Republican Representative Sean Duffy of Wisconsin said that white domestic terrorists are “totally different” from Muslim terrorists. In an interview with CNN yesterday, Duffy claimed that attacks perpetrated by white people are not as big of an issue, that they are “one-offs,” and that there is nothing the government can do to stop them.

Commenting on the recent attack at a mosque in Quebec city, he said to CNN host Alisyn Camerota: “You don’t have a group like ISIS or al Qaeda that is inspiring people around the world to take up arms and kill innocents. That was a one-off. That was a one-off, Alisyn.” He was then asked about Dylann Roof’s mass shooting of black churchgoers in South Carolina. Duffy shockingly responded: “It does matter. Look at the good things that came from it. [Then-South Carolina Gov.] Nikki Haley took down the Confederate flag, that was great,” he said. His comments have sparked outrage on social media.

You know what would’ve kept the mass shooting from occurring in Charleston @RepSeanDuffy? Having complete background checks w/o loopholes! pic.twitter.com/egvNKEpdLC

— Khary Penebaker (@kharyp) February 7, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.