Miley Cyrus responded to criticism of her initial reaction to the news of the deadly church shooting in Texas with a commentary on white men, guns and President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, Devin Kelley, 26, killed 26 people after he opened fire in the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Cyrus wrote that the shooting was a "TERRORIST act by a WHITE AMERICAN MAN" and said she was "mortified by our country" and its "lack of control/laws" in an Instagram post.
>> See the post here (WARNING: Linked page contains profanity)
Fans were divided by the post.
“Gun laws are not the issue!” one Instagram user argued. “Without guns, the shooter would probably still be alive and have killed a lot more people! But since there was a GOOD GUY WITH A GUN he was able to put a stop to the shooter! Drugs safe illegal, people still find a way to get them. Drinking and driving is illegal, people are dying everyday because of it. Laws do not stop people.”
Another wrote, “Thank you Miley for the passion and love you speak with not everyone will agree with you and that’s ok but the point is a discussion most be had and something most be done.”
In a follow-up post, Cyrus said she was "aghast" by the reaction to her first post.
"It is completely amazing to me how defensive and in denial this country really is!" she wrote. "You are not focused on the horrific tragedy I addressed but more angered that I am putting a BIG bright spotlight on the fact it was a 'WHITE AMERICAN MALE' terrorist that walked in & killed 26 people (including children) leaving 20 severely injured!"
She also criticized Trump for saying the focus should be on mental health, not guns, while on a foreign policy trip to Japan.
"We have a lot of mental health problems in our country, as do other countries. But this isn't a guns situation," Trump said in a press conference.
“I’d like to believe that EVERY person who takes the life of another being is 'mentally ill'…. it’s hard to conceptualize that a sane human could commit such a hideous crime. BUT I am sorry Donald Trump this absolutely is a 'GUNS SITUATION,'” Cyrus wrote.
She then received backlash for speaking on the part that external factors such as gender, race and religion played after a mass shooting.
In her final post, Cyrus told her fans that it was not her intention to "generalize or stereotype." She shared pictures of the men in her family with the caption, "Just a few of my favorite WHITE AMERICAN MALES."
“You are all correct to believe every human deserves the same respect …. but please keep that in mind when you’re judging others. NOT just with the race, religion, gender or sexuality which YOU identify with. Deal?” she wrote.
Cyrus ended her statements with a heart emoji.
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