The senior editor of left-wing website Raw Story is defending inflammatory comments he made on Twitter, including his statement that House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) "deserves a Darwin award nomination" for continuing to support gun rights after being critically shot by an attacker last year.
Responding to a report that Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)'s wife was sent a text message showing someone being beheaded following the lawmaker's vote to confirm U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Scalise tweeted on Sunday, "These vicious threats have to stop. This cannot be the new normal." He called on Democrats to condemn the continued threats against Republicans.
These vicious threats have to stop. This cannot be the new normal—there is absolutely no place for violence in our political discourse. Democratic leaders need to denounce this behavior. https://t.co/SRjDwdGval
— Rep. Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 7, 2018
Raw Story senior editor Martin Cizmar retweeted Scalise's message, responding "boo boo little baby."
Boo boo little baby https://t.co/HInJ6Yidh5
— 🎩Martin Cizmar (@martincizmar) October 7, 2018
Twitter users then criticized Cizmar for mocking Scalise, with conservative writer Susan Wright firing back, "[Scalise] was a victim of an attempted massacre by a crazed, leftwing gunman. I kind of think he has grounds for complaint against violent rhetoric. What's your angle here?"
He was the victim of an attempted massacre by a crazed, leftwing gunman. I kind of think he has grounds for complaint against violent rhetoric. What's your angle here? I can tell you, whatever it is, it's wrong. And bad.
— Susan_Wright [Insufficiently Partisan] (@SweetieWalker) October 8, 2018
Then Cizmar doubled down, saying, "Steve was a victim of a shooting by a crazy person who should not have had a gun. Steve did not die. Steve opposes any changes to the laws that would keep crazy people from getting guns. Innocent children are routinely slaughtered in their schools because of Steve's policies."
Steve was a victim of a shooting by a crazy person who should not have had a gun.
Steve did not die.
Steve opposes any changes to the laws that would keep crazy people from getting guns.
Innocent children are routinely slaughtered in their schools because of Steve's policies.
— 🎩Martin Cizmar (@martincizmar) October 8, 2018
He then tweeted, "To all the unhinged wingnuts angry about my calling a whiny Republican man a little baby...do you support gun control? If so, keep talking. If not, why do I care about some guy grazed by a bullet who allows children to die because of his dumb and extremist policies?"
To all the unhinged wingnuts angry about my calling a whiny Republic man a little baby... do you support gun control? If so, please keep talking. If not, why do I care about some guy grazed by a bullet who allows children to die because of his dumb and extremist policies?
— 🎩Martin Cizmar (@martincizmar) October 8, 2018
Cizmar added, speaking of Scalise that, "When a politician opposes all reasonable gun control and gets shot he deserves a Darwin award nomination not a sympathy card."
When a politician opposes all reasonable gun control and gets shot he deserves a Darwin award nomination not a sympathy card.
— 🎩Martin Cizmar (@martincizmar) October 8, 2018
According to his Twitter feed, Cizmar seems to be enjoying the attention he's received from the backlash of his comments. On Monday, he stated that his goal was to get over one million impressions from his top tweet about Scalise, egging on right-wing critics by saying, "Let the rage flow through you, my conservative friends. JUST THINK OF THE SHEER LACK OF CIVILITY!!"
goal is a milli and we can still do this.
let the rage flow through you, my conservative friends
JUST THINK OF THE SHEER LACK OF CIVILITY!! pic.twitter.com/mrdvgvl3Go
— 🎩Martin Cizmar (@martincizmar) October 9, 2018
Breck Dumas
