Several progressive commentators did not wait for the full story to be reported before using Friday’s shooting at a Connecticut elementary school to score political points.
CNN talk show host Piers Morgan immediately took to his Twitter account to inject politics into the child massacre, demanding that the U.S. Constitution be altered to his satisfaction and urging President Obama to implement strict gun laws.
Some of Morgan’s tweets:
- No more weasly words of ‘comfort’ Mr President. This is the latest, and worst, gun outrage on your watch. Time to act.
- This is now President Obama’s biggest test – will he have the courage to stand up to the American gun lobby?
- White House spokesman Jay Carney’s right – today’s not the day to debate gun control. YESTERDAY was the day to debate it.
- Don’t just mourn these poor dead children America – get angry and do something to stop these senseless shootings happening.
Morgan also compared today’s shooting to the 1996 school massacre in Dunblane, Scotland.
This is America’s Dunblane. We banned handguns in Britain after that appalling tragedy. What will the U.S. do? Inaction not an option.
Morgan fails to mention Scotland aready had strict gun laws, but the Dunblane shooting occurred anyway.
Filmmaker Michael Moore also took to Twitter to politicize the shooting before many of the facts were known.
“The way to honor these dead children is to demand strict gun control, free mental health care, and an end to violence as public policy,” Moore Tweeted as soon as the news broke.
Mr. Moore, opponent of “violence as public policy,” has yet to denounce union violence documented in Lansing, Michigan earlier this week.
Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, now a Current TV host, also vented on Twitter. “OMG,” she exclaimed, “R Michigan House passes right to carry guns in schools, churches, daycare centers last night. Please: Stop. The. Madness.”