U.S. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann speaks during a meeting with the Times Free Press editorial board and reporters in the newspaper’s office Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015, in Chattanooga.NASHVILLE – Tennessee political reaction to Sunday’s deadly mass shooting at an Orlando, Fla., gay nightclub is ranging – and sometimes raging – across the nation’s fault lines of Islamic terrorism, gun control and LGBT discrimination.
As U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., delivered harsh criticism of Islamic terrorists and political correctness, another congressman from the Volunteer State, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, called on Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan to allow gun control bills to come to the chamber floor.
Chris AndersonMeanwhile, Chattanooga Councilman Chris Anderson, who is openly gay, ignited a Twitter furor when he challenged Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, Republican state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, state Sens. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, and Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, and Chattanooga Tea Party President Mark West on legislation that LGBT activists have charged discriminate against them.
“In wake of the Orlando murders, do you regret your hateful attacks on the LGBT community and your incitement of this?” Anderson tweeted, prompting a heated response from West and continuing response and counter-response.
Fleischmann on Sunday appeared on Fox News where he expressed sympathy for the 49 victims killed by Omar Mateen, a U.S.-born Muslim, at Orlando’s Pulse club in what has been characterized as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.