Colts GM Spends First Press Conference Of Season Focused On Guns And Politics
With teams opening training camps this week, fans are getting a chance to hear from players, coaches, and general managers.
Those same fans are expecting to hear thoughts about the upcoming season and get excited about their team's chances to win a Super Bowl. But Colts general manager Chris Ballard decided it was a good time for discussion on United States’ gun laws.
Ballard opened his press conference by offering condolences to the families involved in the Greenwood mall shooting. Three people were killed by the gunman, but the shooter was quickly gunned down by another armed citizen at the mall, saving countless more lives. The shooting occurred 10 miles south of Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Colts play.
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"To me, it's a lot of common sense, and we lack it right now in this country. It's a shame," Ballard said. "Highland Park, Uvalde, Greenwood, Buffalo. I mean, when does some common sense come to play and when does this end? When do our elected officials actually do something about it instead of their own political gain? Both sides are completely wrong."
Although many media outlets have hailed Ballard’s comments as “strong” or “pointed,” he stuck to common talking points, like calling out all politicians and arguing against “military-style weapons.”
"I'm not anti-gun, but I'm anti-military-style weapons," Ballard continued. "It blows my mind away that an 18-year-old kid can walk in and buy an AK-15 automatic weapon. That makes no sense. Zero. It's a shame that we live in a country that can't come to an agreement because of politics on doing the right thing for our country. It makes zero sense. Zero."
Ballard went off about the murderer, but he failed to mention the incredible heroism of the law-abiding citizen, who was legally carrying a gun, and saved lives that day.
It's also worth mentioning that Ballard incorrectly identified the gun used by the shooter. The weapon was an AR-15, not an AK-15 as Ballard said. He also failed to mention that the right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution.
But he wasn't finished, as he moved on to praising media darling and left-wing extremist, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
“We cannot remain silent on this issue. Steve Kerr said it best: 'We can't become numb.' That's what we've done. We've become numb to it, like it's just OK. It's not OK. People need to be held accountable. Our politicians need to be held accountable."
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Ballard did not mention what it would mean for "people" and politicians to be "held accountable" for the deranged actions of these sick, murderous individuals. Apparently, none of the "reporters" in the room asked him to clarify.
On a day when Colts fans likely wanted to hear Ballard’s thoughts on the state of the team and his expectations for their new quarterback, Matt Ryan, the GM delivered a soliloquy on gun violence that has been said many times by many people.
Ballard has been called "brave" for his comments, despite never mentioning the true hero of the story, Elisjsha Dicken, who could teach him a thing or two about real bravery and the second amendment.