Hollywood celebrities reacted to the shootings in Odessa, Texas, with calls for gun control and a denunciation of Congressional Republicans long before details on the firearm or means of firearm acquisition were known.
For example, Saturday night Bette Midler fired off an all-caps screed: “5 dead in Texas, 31 injured…#GOP HEARTS #NRA FOR YEARS GUN DOLLARS PAVED THEIR WAY. LOBBYISTS ALWAYS BUY THEM SOMETHING THOUSANDS DEAD TO THEM MEAN NOTHING COMMON SENSE IS ALL WE ASK FOR TIME TO TAKE THESE SHITS TO TASK FOR:#MURDER.”
At the time of her tweet there were zero details on type of gun, caliber of gun, acquisition of gun, motive, etc.
Breitbart news reported:
report that eight people were killed and nearly 20 were injured in a shooting that began after a traffic stop on Saturday afternoon. Three officers are said to be among the wounded. Police shot and killed the suspect. The eighth person died Sunday morning in Midland, Texas.
On Sunday morning Midler followed up with another tweet, directed toward the NRA:
Midler’s second tweet also came at time when details about the gun and acquisition of it were still unreported.
Other left-wing Hollywood figures used their social media platforms to push for gun control just as Midler had done.
Rob Reiner went after the NRA, tweeting “Guns don’t kill people. Politicians in bed with the NRA kill people.”
Country singer Kacey Musgraves wrote “I love you, TX. I can’t believe we all are being forced to live in a constant state of fear. 2nd mass shooting in my home state in a month? Makes me sick to my stomach. When will we live in a world where human lives mean more than money?”
Actor Josh Gad said “Another week…another gun massacre… Another week…another gun massacre…”
Actress and left-wing activist Alyssa Milano said “A 17 month old baby was shot today with a gun. A 17 month old baby girl. Let that sink in.”
Former Netflix talk show host Chelsea Handler said “Happy Friday, everyone. And to Republicans, how about no white supremacists with guns after Labor Day?”
Horror author Stephen King fumed “When are the benchwarmers in Washington going to do something about the river of blood produced by gun violence? Change tHe laws or change the ones who make the laws.”
HBO series creator and producer David Simon mocked the claim that private gun ownership is a God-given right:
Judd Apatow did the same.
Actor and gun control proponent George Takei tweeted:
Actress Mia Farrow added, “We have a crisis here.”
The above-listed tweets were posted prior to any specific details being released on the firearm used, the acquisition or caliber of that firearm, or the motive of the attacker.
What is known is the attacker shot innocents — including police officers — while sitting inside a vehicle, and that position gave him the upper hand until he was gunned down.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.