Kentucky Republican Congressman Thomas Massie sparked intense backlash on Saturday when he posted a photo that appeared to show seven members of his family, including himself, brandishing assault rifles in front of a Christmas tree.
“Merry Christmas!,” Massie wrote above the photo on Twitter alongside a Christmas tree emjoi.
“ps. (SIC) Santa, please bring ammo,” he added, followed by a gift emoji.
Massie’s photo generated thousands of responses, with many pointing out that it seemed particularly tone deaf in the wake of yet another deadly high-profile school shooting.
Four people were killed Tuesday at Oxford High School in Michigan by a 15-year-old whose parents are now charged with involuntary manslaughter for giving him access to a gun.
Shortly after Massie posted the photo, the father of a Parkland, Florida school shooting victim appeared on CNN to discuss the Oxford tragedy.
Host Jim Acosta asked Manuel Oliver, whose son Joaquin “Guac” Oliver was one of 17 people murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, about his reaction to Massie’s photo.
“That’s a huge part of the problem,” Oliver responded. “Someone elected leaders like this one that think that — I don’t know if they’re trying to be ironic, funny, or what — but it’s the worst taste ever. … It’s a very nasty post.”