Sunday Service: Mass Shooting In Houston [At Lakewood Megachurch]!

Nothing is sacred. Shooting at Joel Osteen's church.

This year in mass shootings: 52. 

This must be mass shooting 53.

As the Super Bowl LVIII is happening in Las Vegas, over in the "free state of Texas", dictator Greg Abbott wages war against the U.S. government. After the Supreme Court rejected the state of Texas in its attempt to place razor wire and barriers to prevent migrants from entering the U.S. through the Mexican border.

The Rio Grande River makes up 90% of the U.S.-Mexican border in Texas.

Republicans rejected a bipartisan bill to combat the influx of migrants. They claimed. It doesn't go far enough. But in reality, the five months spent drafting, negotiating and presenting a 370 page bill was scrapped because former president Donald J, Trump told the Republicans to deny President Joe Biden a win.

So thus, they still whine about the border.

The border is safe.

But the real danger is a person who has easy access to firearms. Since Texas has the most loosest laws when it comes to guns, we have more shootings. Of course, notable mass shootings happen at places where many people gather.

So a possible mass shooting at the Lakewood Church, a billion dollar religious franchise ran by controversial figure Joel Osteen.

America's largest megachurch.

God did not protect the worshipers. Matter of fact, thoughts and prayers did not stop bullets flying.

Abbott, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and the U.S. Representatives of Texas were notified of this.

A Texas sheriff said Sunday that a shooter was down after a shooting at the Houston megachurch of celebrity pastor Joel Osteen on Sunday afternoon.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez did not immediately provide more details in his post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Lakewood Church had earlier posted on social media there was an “active situation involving shots fired” at one of the largest megachurches in the U.S during its typically busy Sunday services.

A news conference was scheduled for later by police and other law enforcement agencies. A heavy presence of police surrounded the Houston megachurch.

Worshippers could be seen leaving the building as authorities evacuated the church, and authorities said they were continuing to methodically search the building as a precaution. About 45,000 people attend weekly services at Lakewood, making it the third largest megachurch in the U.S., according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Osteen’s televised sermons reach about 100 countries.

How much money or prayer gonna solve this?

Earlier, Lakewood Church posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly afterrward that there was an “active situation involving shots fired” at the church.

Abbott said “our hearts are with those impacted by today’s tragic shooting and the entire Lakewood Church community in Houston. Places of worship are sacred.”

Hey what is your heart going to do? I thought Republicans aren't sissies and have no sympathy.

Witnesses told reporters that they heard multiple gunshots about the time the church’s 2 p.m. Spanish language service was set to begin.

Christina Rodriguez, who was inside the church, told Houston television station KTRK that she “started screaming, ‘There’s a shooter, there’s a shooter,’” and then she and others ran to the backside of a library inside the building, then stood in a stairway before they were told it was safe to leave.

People stood outside the building as authorities evacuated the church. Officials later announced a reunification center had been set up at a nearby gym for people to find their loved ones.

There is no detailed information available of causalities. They do confirmed the active threat is over.

Be warned, the video footage could be graphic.

The No. 1 issue in the United States is gun violence. A problem that never seems to be solved through federal legislation and state legislation. According to the Republican Party, National Rifle Association, Gun Owner's of America, some Democrats and extremists love the Second Amendment. Of course, they want to silence dissent when it comes to stopping gun violence and opposition to Israel's genocide in Palestine.

Shooting happened when Spanish services were starting.

What happens is we cover it for a few days, get reaction from President Joe Biden, a state governor or a mayor about the latest mass shooting in the country.

We talk about the weapon of choice for mass shootings. The calls for more gun reform grow only for Republicans and some Democrats to balk at it.

Republicans will say "Now it's not the time to talk about gun violence."

These murderers don't have mental illness. They are calculated and prepared. It happened to be a moment where they have the opportunity to take out lives. There's no sickness in the head. Most mass shooters legally obtain their assault rifles without little background checks. They have likely no criminal history and they are willing to use the assault weapon in the only thing it's good for: Killing numerous lives.

I dismiss this ridiculous notion that criminals are the problem, not the guns. Firearms are often obtained through legal purchases. 

Again, having more security, teachers being armed and offering safe rooms are not solving the problem. The problem is lawmakers not willing to stop gun violence.

THE NICE GUY IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON WITH A FIREARM. THOSE WHO ARE SPURN BY RELATIONSHIPS, THE WORKPLACE, SOCIETY IN GENERAL WILL SEEK REVENGE BY TAKING OUT LIVES. THEY WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS OF MASSACRING THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEING.

THE JUNK FOOD MEDIA AND POLITICIANS ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE BY AMPING UP POLARIZING RHETORIC. 

What to do to protect your life.

1. Run - If you hear sounds like firecrackers, popping sounds or suspicious activities around a large gathering (i.e. malls, stores, clubs, public gatherings), if you can flee, run away from the shooter. Do not run in a straight path of the sight. Move around and zig-zag if possible to keep yourself out the line of fire. It's best to not film a shooter commiting the act. If you are willing to risk your life for a viral video, more power to you but its best to stay out of the line of fire by running away.

2. Hide - If you are involved in an active shooting, you must barricade yourself in a room and keep doors locked, lights off, phones on silent. Do not go into restrooms, lockers and kitchens. Those are most likely places where shooters often go. If you can barricade a room to prevent a shooter from getting in, it eliminate the opportunity for the shooter to get through. Make sure you keep your voice low when you're involved in mass shooting. Call 9-1-1 if you can.

3. Fight - If you are willing to risk your life or willing to film the incident, you have no choice but to fight. Make sure you grab something that is powerful enough to disarm a shooter. Do not confront a shooter in the midst of sight. Make yourself not visible if you're trying to fight. Do not think being a "good guy with a gun" is going to stop a bad guy. The cops don't see good guys trying to stop bad guys. They see active shooters and they will shoot anyone who is armed regardless of the matter. If you're ready to fight, be prepared to die. It's best to not be easily seen if you're trying to stop a shooter. If you're a conceal carry and attempt to disarm an active shooter, you are willing to sacrifice your life to save lives. You are willing to go hero, you could die a hero or an idiot.

4. Realize - Mind you, that the types of firearms used by shooter are based on capacity which limits the time of reaction. As with rule 3, you have only less than a second to make a reaction when the shooter is set on sights. So there's no real solution to save your life in the event of an active shooter. The best thing to do is understand, that anywhere in the United States could be a target of a mass shooting. Congress isn't doing a damn thing about it.

You are not safe even in a megachurch.

The far right often infiltrate protests and cause chaos to paint progressives protests as violent. Even when the far right attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, they believed that far left members infiltrated the mob. Ignore the fact that Washed Up 45 and his allies urged the supporters to come, called for them to protest and told them to not show weakness.

According to the far right: White shooters are mentally ill. Black shooters are unrepentant criminals. Gay shooters are active groomers. Muslim shooters are terrorists. Hispanic and Asian shooters are illegal immigrants. Almost all mass shooters are registered Democrats because they have liked one thing common to the left. Of course, they often share disinformation by using the "Sam Hyde" meme as a way to denounce most mass shooters being white. They say a white person should "protect" from protesters and use of firearms are justified. They say if a shooter is active military or a veteran who supports conservative causes, they are considered a "heroes" and use of firearms are justified. If the shooters are teens, the far right automatically assume the gunmen are Black.

The Republicans usually amplify white victims. Anytime a person of color kills a white victim, it is often wall-to-wall coverage on Fox, X and they force it into national news. They make the case to blame Black Lives Matter, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Democrats, Rev. Al Sharpton and rap music for Black on whatever violence. Republican lawmakers who do not live in urban neighborhoods often troll social media to talk about gun violence or crime in Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee and New York City while not doing a damn thing to stop it. If a white person shoots a Black person, the shooter is given the benefit of doubt. White shooters are given glowing profiles about their perfect lives and how friends noticed something but refused to do something. When it comes to Black shooters, automatic vilification. They don't see mental illness. They see it as gang violence, allegedly fatherless homes, Democratic policies or the need for more firearms. The far right and Republicans exploit gun violence in the Black community for culture wars and racism.

Republicans solutions are more guns, blame others for America's social ills and defect from accepting reality.

You're not safe at home, in the school, the concert, the hospital, the church, the casino, the bus station, the subway, the light rail train, the buses, the malls, the local big box store, the political rally, the protest rally, the beach, the women's center for reproductive surgeries, the mosque, the synagogue, the road trip, the natural disasters, the state/federal buildings, the workplace, the gas station, the family picnic, the food truck rally, the funerals, the birthday parties, the graduations, the wedding, the televised events, the sporting events, the homeless shelter and many more events that have some terrorist with a firearm. Domestic violence, suicide, racism, culture war inspired, politically motivated and international operative inspired are types of gun violence.

Expect more.

Every community in the United States will eventually have a legacy. A legacy of never ending tragedy. Gun violence, extremism and COVID-19 will affect your town, your family and your life. So I don't want to hear that bullshit about how gun reform is taking away your rights to own firearms.

I don't want to hear that protesting against police killing people of color is hate on cops in general. I don't want to hear talk about the coronavirus being a myth.

When you hear folks say "gun rights," what they really mean is that its white privilege. This good guy with a gun nonsense has to end. The cops didn't do nothing when children were shot inside a school. A security guard was shot dead trying to protect shoppers. A cop accidentally shot his own. The good guy who tried to stop a bad guy is outgunned and a part of the rule #3.

Remember #3 means: The "good guy with a gun" better be prepared to die if they want to stop a shooter.

I don't want to hear folks say masks and vaccine mandates impede their freedoms. It prevents a deadly outbreak from spreading. If you want to die from the coronavirus, that's on you. We lost over 1 million people from the coronavirus.

I don't want to hear the shit about guns saving lives. Cause a bullet does not have eyes and it's always likely gonna hit a target. These folks seem to not get it. These incidents are a tragic part of American history. Thoughts and prayers and your heart going out to the victims is not enough. It quite frankly is an insult. I am also tired of scapegoating Black on Black crime, Chicago, Baltimore and Democratic mayors for the nation's obsession to be numb to gun violence. You pretty much enable this nonsense by deflecting.

President Joe Biden is trying to curb gun violence. However, he has no support from Republicans. Most Democrats and America are for gun control measures. However one Democrat and one independent who caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate refuse to change the filibuster rules and its holding us back.

The National Rifle Association is always pushing against gun control. They will not relinquish from the narrative. These guns are not saving lives. The Republicans aided by a fickle junk food media are openly encouraging anarchy and disruption in a desperate attempt for the Republicans to win back Congress and the White House. These agitators are calling for Biden to curb crime but will not help him. They want more guns on the street but balk at the fact Blacks obtain them. It makes no sense.

So in closing, expect more.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those who were killed in the line of duty. Those who don't get their names mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

The call number to the White House and U.S. Capitol are now going to be used. This is the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414. This is the Congress official phone number, 202-224-3121. Please be respectful to operators, staff members and elected leaders. Your calls are monitored by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police. 

Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable and you want legislation to curb gun violence. Let them know that you are tired of your taxpayer money going to foreign nations like Israel. You want an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes done by Israel. You want no more foreign influence in American elections. You also want to make sure future presidents and lawmakers avoid influence from lobbyists. Let them know you're vote matters and doing nothing will not be acceptable.