Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Philadelphia Mayor Slammed For Saying He'll Be 'Happy' When He's Not Mayor Anymore After Parade Shooting

Philadelphia Mayor Slammed For Saying He'll Be 'Happy' When He's Not Mayor Anymore After Parade Shooting
@JoeHoldenCBS3/Twitter

This year's Fourth of July was a somber occasion for several reasons, not least of which were two shootings at July 4 festivities in suburban Chicago and the city of Philadelphia.

And in the wake of the latter, the city's mayor's comments about the incident have become a master class in how not to handle a mass shooting.


During a press conference about the incident, which left two police officers seriously injured and scores of Philadelphians terrorized, Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney lamented the terrifying frequency with which shootings occur all over America.

He then finished his remarks with a comment that has gotten him in a lot of hot water: Kenney said he'll be "happy" when he's no longer mayor so that he can "enjoy some stuff."

You can probably imagine how well that has gone over. See his comments below.

Kenney's controversial comment was part of a longer statement in which he expressed a sentiment relatable to most people in this country—he is sick and tired of being terrified of gun violence all day, every day, everywhere he goes.

As he told members of the media:

"This is a gun country. It's crazy."
"We are the most armed country in world history and we are one of the least safe."
"So until Americans decide that they want to give up the guns and give up the opportunity to get guns we are going to have this problem."

Few reasonable-minded Americans would argue with those sentiments. Kenney went on to describe the constant worries he has about gun violence erupting in his city.

"I'm concerned every single day."
"There's not an event or a day where I don't lay on my back at night, look at the ceiling, and worry about stuff."

Kenney went on to list a number of large events his city has hosted during his tenure, which he said filled him with anticipatory anxiety about gun violence.

"[E]verything we have had in the city over the last seven years, I worry about."
"I don't enjoy the Fourth of July. I didn't enjoy the Democratic National Convention. I didn't enjoy the NFL Draft."
"I'm waiting for something bad to happen all the time."

But then Kenney's comments went just a tad too far. He said:

"I'll be happy when I'm not here — when I'm not mayor, and I can enjoy some stuff."

To many people watching, and many more on social media, Kenney's comments landed like self-centered complaints in the wake of a tragedy that he was lucky enough to have evaded.

And on Twitter, many people were furious about it.







But others urged people to consider the full context of Kenney's comments.

Regardless of the controversy, Kenney seems to have meant what he said. Asked to clarify if he truly looks forward to no longer being mayor, he replied, "Yeah, as a matter of fact."

More from Trending

Barack Obama
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Obama Offers Iconic Reaction After He Accidentally Photobombed A Family's Photos In DC

If you try to take nice pictures in a scenic location, there will likely be people wandering through the background of your photos, because everyone else will also be enjoying the scenery.

In most cases, people try to time the shots between passersby or edit them out afterwards, but after a photoshoot in Washington D.C., one family will definitely not be editing out the accidental guest walking among the cherry blossoms and the Washington Monument.

Keep ReadingShow less
children sitting on floor in classroom
CDC on Unsplash

Historical 'Facts' People Learned In School That Are Actually Not True

The phrase "history is written by the victors" is a common saying. It's often attributed to Winston Churchill, although there's no proof he said those exact words.

It points out that those who win conflicts shape how those events are remembered, recorded, and taught to future generations, leading to biased historical accounts and warped perceptions.

Keep ReadingShow less

Modern 'Conveniences' That Actually Make Life Harder

Making life simpler...

That is always the goal, right?

Keep ReadingShow less
Person holding cigarette
Luiz Rogério Nunes/Unsplash

One Night Stands That Turned Into A Total Nightmare

Ahh, the trials and tribulations of dating life.

On the one hand, it could be exciting and very promising. On the other hand, it could be a total disaster.

Keep ReadingShow less
Person's eyes glowing in the sunlight
Photo by Marina Vitale on Unsplash

People Who Clinically Died And Came Back To Life Share Their Experiences

We've all heard the questions about what happens when we die, whether there is life after death, and whether we really will walk through a tunnel of white light or not to get there.

But people who have had a near-death experience, in that they were declared clinically dead and were then resuscitated, might have the answers we're looking for, and their answers are quite peaceful.

Keep ReadingShow less