Holding back tears throughout his entire 10-minute monologue, a frustrated, emotional Jimmy Kimmel reacted to Sunday night's events in Las Vegas — one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history. To Kimmel, who grew up there, the atrocity was especially personal.
"This morning, we have children without parents and fathers without sons, mothers without daughters; we lost two police officers, we lost a nurse from Tennessee, a special-ed teacher from a local school here in Manhattan Beach," the shaken Kimmel noted. "It’s the kind of thing that it makes you want to throw up or give up. It’s too much to even process."
Here are five hard truths Kimmel laid out last night:
1. The way we react to international terrorism vs. domestic terrorism doesn't make sense.
The shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, wasn't known to be affiliated with any global terrorism network. That doesn't mean he's not a terrorist.
"When someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesn’t happen again. But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, then there’s nothing we can do about that."
2. The fact that it's perfectly legal for civilians to buy guns solely aimed at killing people doesn't make sense.
Everyday Americans can purchase semi-automatic rifles in America. But why?
"Our forefathers wanted us to have AK-47s is the argument [from 2nd amendment proponents], I assume. Orlando, Newtown, Aurora, San Bernardino — every one of these shootings, the murderer used automatic or semi-automatic rifles, which are not weapons you use for self-defense. They're weapons designed to kill large numbers of people in the shortest possible amount of time."
[rebelmouse-image 19531885 dam="1" original_size="500x255" caption="GIF via "Jimmy Kimmel Live."" expand=1]GIF via "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
3. The argument that it's "too soon to make this political" doesn't make sense.
Not making the Vegas shooting political means we're accepting this nightmare reality in which going to a concert, or to school, or to work, or to a movie means risking death.
"Last night, the White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, said this is not the time — or actually, it was today, this morning — she said it was not the time for political debate. I don’t know. We have 59 innocent people dead, it wasn’t their time either. So I think now is the time for political debate."
4. The amount of power the NRA has in this country doesn't make sense.
As Kimmel noted, the gun lobby is using too many of our leaders as puppets.
"President Trump is visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday. He spoke this morning; he said he’s praying for those who lost their lives. You know, in February, he also signed a bill to make it easier for people with severe mental illness to buy guns legally. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, a number of other lawmakers who won’t do anything about this because the NRA has their balls in a money clip also sent their thoughts and their prayers today — which is good, they should be praying. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country."
5. The disconnect between what Americans want and what their representatives fight for doesn't make sense.
Americans overwhelmingly back common sense gun control to keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous people. But many congresspeople care less about that than getting elected next year.
"90% of Democrats ... and 77% of Republicans support background checks at gun shows. 89% of Republicans and Democrats are in favor of restricting gun ownership for the mentally ill. But not this gang [indicating a group of senators]. They voted against both of those things. So, with all due respect, your thoughts and your prayers are insufficient."
"Tell your congresspeople to do something," Kimmel said. "It's not enough to send your love and prayers."
Tell your representatives to fight for better gun laws.
12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.