Gohmert trashed on Twitter over his reaction to New Zealand massacre
Texas GOP rep said there are alternatives to ‘resolve controversies’ instead of ‘cold blooded murders’
Rep. Louie Gohmert was skewered Friday for his statement after a white supremacist shot Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 49 people.
“There are courts, dispute resolutions, and legislatures to resolve controversies — there is no place for cold blooded murder,” the Texas Republican said in his statement.
“The shootings at the New Zealand mosques are egregiously reprehensible. There are courts, dispute resolutions, and legislatures to resolve controversies – there is no place for cold blooded murders …” Read my full statement, here: https://t.co/j2QgI2MVyX
— Louie Gohmert (@replouiegohmert) March 15, 2019
People promptly objected to Gohmert’s characterization of the shooting as a “controversy,” since the victims who were killed were worshiping at Friday prayers.
Multiple media outlets have reported that the shooter — a 28-year-old Australian man — left behind a manifesto saying he was a racist.
None have reported that the mosques or their regular attendants were involved in any sort of controversy.
By noon Friday, Gohmert’s tweet with a link to his statement had more than 1,200 replies — mostly condemning the congressman for his choice of words — and less than 70 retweets.
Here are a few of the tamer replies:
Louis, tell me about the “correct channels” you would go through to address the existence of Muslim people. Be as specific as you can.
— A.R. Moxon (Julius Goat) (@JuliusGoat) March 15, 2019
I read the full statement, in the hope that the excerpt here doesn’t accurately portray your sentiments. But, alas, it does.
Your expression of sympathy for the views of the white supremacist shooter, via “resolve controversies,” is disgusting and appalling.
— Greg Pliska (@gregpliska) March 15, 2019
What an awful thing to suggest! There was no dispute! No controversy! There were innocent people living their lives!
— Leslie J. Anderson (@inkhat) March 15, 2019
Resign.
— Mike Dunford (@questauthority) March 15, 2019
Senators and House members from both parties tweeted out statements of sympathy on Friday for the victims of the shootings and their families, with some reminding their constituents that the U.S. must confront similar instances of hate-fueled violence.
