Colorado Republican Congresswoman and gun rights advocate Lauren Boebert is under fire after her bizarre and tone-deaf response to the Uvalde, Texas school shooting.
In response, scores of people on social media resurfaced a photo of Boebert and her four sons posing with assault rifles in front of their Christmas tree that left many people shocked when it was first posted last December.
The furor began when Boebert, seemingly forgetting government exists for a reason and she herself is part of the government, tweeted the response to the Texas shooting should be to "turn to God for comfort and healing."
Boebert says the solution to gun violence is God. pic.twitter.com/HP24z9CSjo
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) May 25, 2022
Her tweet, which she has since deleted, read:
"My heart goes out to the friends and families of the 15 dead in Uvalde, Texas."
"The loss of innocent life breaks my heart."
"It is in times like these that we should, as individuals, communities, and as a nation, turn to God for comfort and healing."
Sure, why bother actually doing anything about America's non-stop epidemic of children being shot to death at school when you can just pray about it?
Boebert went on to tweet later "You cannot legislate away evil."
Immediately, people began retweeting the old Christmas photo of Boebert's children proudly holding assault rifles much like the ones used in the Uvalde shooting.
Boebert: The solution to gun violence is God...and AR's for the kids at Christmas.🤨 pic.twitter.com/VPnKpjBC9G
— Navy Blue (@Michiganblu) May 25, 2022
Among those criticizing Boebert for her comments is her colleague Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who directed a heated tweet at the Republican.
Why even be in Congress if you don’t believe in doing your job?
Just quit and let someone who actually gives a damn do it instead of acting like a useless piece of furniture when babies are shot with AR15s that we let teen boys impulse buy before they can legally have a beer. https://t.co/f9rdJ40kEJ
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 25, 2022
AOC questioned why Boebert bothers being in Congress if she feels legislation is futile, and told her to do her job instead of "acting like a useless piece of furniture when babies are shot with AR15s."
Ocasio-Cortez also excoriated an American culture where "teen boys impulse buy" assault weapons--an image that immediately calls to mind Boebert's Christmas photo with her sons, who are 16, 14, 12 and 9, holding assault weapons.
The fury at Boebert was palpable all over Twitter, as scores of people reposted the photo.
Giving children guns?.....Huge problem. https://t.co/hTjgO24Mtf
— BeMoreDottir (@BeMoreDottir) May 25, 2022
No that’s not it. pic.twitter.com/YYsqcg19tl
— Michelle Lamb (@Michell17512161) May 25, 2022
Are you there God? It’s me, Laura.
Whatever can we do about these mass shootings? pic.twitter.com/fFY35rlrmo
— 🦋𝓢𝓾𝓮 𝓩 🦋 (@IamButterflySue) May 25, 2022
Her words are empty and don’t ring true. pic.twitter.com/cnJKnl9Rw5
— ꧁Olliebeanzmom꧂(aka ProphetOllie)🏳️🌈💙😷🌻🇺🇦 (@Olliebeanzmom) May 25, 2022
Many also posted the photo to Boebert directly in response to her tweets attacking AOC and other Democratic politicians in support of gun-control legislation.
Lauren's plan for safer schools...https://t.co/2cqiJscPaR
— Q Ball Corner Pocket (@Pawlectro) May 25, 2022
G R O O M E R BO BO pic.twitter.com/QgYetKkheL
— summerwind STOP GOP CHRISTO-FASCISM (@summerw07043354) May 25, 2022
This you? pic.twitter.com/DdbLOJtxuh
— Avenger Resister (@AvengerResister) May 25, 2022
pic.twitter.com/FHWIs8DMZl
— Wizzie (@wow09_shannon) May 25, 2022
pic.twitter.com/JcOajh1Ivs
— Paul Fleming (@BrokenLaughter1) May 25, 2022
Hey BoBo… why is it, after every mass shooting, Republican say this can’t be prevented?
WE’RE THE ONLY COUNTRY WITH THIS PROBLEM
We’re drowning in guns and gun deaths, but it’s all worth it as long as BoBo can play dress up with her kids… pic.twitter.com/TWdpmPZann
— Jardani (@jardani_w) May 25, 2022
Boebert is among the most gun-crazy politicians in Congress and has featured a firearm in almost every campaign ad she has put out and even demanded she be allowed to bring a gun into the Capitol in the days after the January 6 insurrection.