In 2012, twenty first-graders and six adults were slaughtered in what will forever be remembered as the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Apparently, when children were murdered, that wasn’t the time to discuss reasonable gun control efforts. President Barack Obama spoke of the tragedy at the time and Donald Trump, who was not a candidate yet, agreed with him. In a tweet, Trump wrote, “President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut.”
Today, Trump spoke remarkably different from Trump of 2015, only offering his “warmest condolences” on Twitter following the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history in Las Vegas last night. At least 58 people were reported as dead by a white gunman who opened fire and at least 515 were injured.
Fox News host Howard Kurtz tweeted in lockstep with his conservative base to say that after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, we should wait at least “a day” to talk about gun control.
“Gun control is a legitimate issue, but for the Dems already raising it after Las Vegas massacre, could we just have a day before plunging in,” he tweeted.
Gun control is a legitimate issue, but for the Dems already raising it after Las Vegas massacre, could we just have a day before plunging in
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) October 2, 2017
The Internet responded.
Is it too long since Columbine? Sandy Hook? VA Tech? Binghamton? Pulse? Dallas? To GOP/NRA, it’s never the right time. Wrong. It’s past time
— lawhawk (@lawhawk) October 2, 2017
No
— eve peyser (@evepeyser) October 2, 2017
Yeah no
— Ike Barinholtz (@ikebarinholtz) October 2, 2017
Absolutely not
— Lauren NotEvenPeople (@howcomhimiswear) October 2, 2017
fuck no
— DeportMeDaddy (@Not0rigina1) October 2, 2017
fuck no
— DeportMeDaddy (@Not0rigina1) October 2, 2017
No. We are completely upset seeing humanity terrorised by one with an automatic weapon. It is now time to do not pause! #stopNRA
— Crinklybum (@KayPennay) October 2, 2017
— Barbara Marshall (@BBbmarsh) October 2, 2017
Please, Mr Kurtz: can you give us the precise date when it would be appropriate to discuss so I can mark my calendar? What a stupid tweet.
— iResist (@ThomboyD) October 2, 2017
After a backlash, Kurtz followed that up with this tweet.
Didn’t say that re guns. I said one day is decent interval @shmr50 Let’s just wait till passions cool & people forget about it, right?
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) October 2, 2017
This response is perfect, in my opinion.
You sir, are a fucking idiot.
— DieLaughing (@DieLaughing) October 2, 2017
The House is slated to vote this week to ease curbs on silencers. Just thought it’s a good time to bring that up. Or is this an inappropriate time for Mr. Kurtz? Also, back in February, Trump signed a bill allowing the mentally ill to purchase firearms. He did that because it was an Obama-era policy.
Image via Twitter.
