Republican lawmaker Matt Gaetz used the death of Miami Marlins’ star pitcher Jose Fernandez as an excuse to criticize other athletes who refuse to stand during the national anthem.
Shortly after tweeting that he was “crushed” by the news, Gaetz fired off this message about Fernandez, who escaped Cuba to live in the United States:
To all who will kneel during the anthem today - just remember how Jose Fernandez risked his life just for the chance to stand for it
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) September 25, 2016
Gaetz, a Trump supporter who serves in Florida’s House of Representatives and is currently a candidate for U.S. Congress, immediately came under fire:
@mattgaetz He didn't come here to stand for it - but because we don't punish people for dissent, unlike Cuba.
— EV Now (@EVNow) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz this guy must really piss you off... pic.twitter.com/OA2p0Gtx4t
— Elliott Serrano (@ElliottSerrano) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz Escaping a country where protest could land you in jail. Are you capable of complex thought?
— sAD sACK (@sadsackjetsfan) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz Do you make everything about you or did you just wake up feeling like the world needed some more inhumanity in it today?
— Rick Freeman (@RWFreeman) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz He risked his life for the right to NOT stand or be coerced into any other faux-patriotic pageantry.
— Walter Kolczynski (@bubba0077) September 25, 2016
.@mattgaetz you're an opportunistic vampire
— Vice President Tim (@TimBaffoe) September 25, 2016
Guess Mr. Gaetz woke up asking himself, "how can I appropriate a terrible tragedy for my political gain?" https://t.co/iZeRfWZ0T7
— Ben Horner (@benhorner13) September 25, 2016
@nasboat @mattgaetz imagine seeing this Fernandez news and thinking "but how can I politicize this?"
— rich (@rich_roberts) September 25, 2016
@JeSuisDawn @mattgaetz In America we enjoy the right to protest. Don't like it? Move to North Korea.
— john.sevigny (@John_Sevigny) September 25, 2016
@LefeversJay @JeSuisDawn @John_Sevigny @mattgaetz Protesting injustice is literally what founded this country.
— j0rdinho (@j0rdinho) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz Jose Fernadez risked his life for the right of everyone to stand, sit or kneel - Freedom of Speech/Expression. Look it up.
— Theo67 (@glomad67) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz actually he risked his life for freedom from opressive governments. Freedom like the ability to sit during the anthem.
— Hustler of Culture (@HofC) September 25, 2016
.@mattgaetz Delete your account, you cheap exploitative humanoid scumbag.
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz you realize under trump Jose wouldn't be been deported, right? Wouldn't have the opportunity to play the game he loves
— BA (@ba613) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz but you insist you're "ready to defend the Constitution"?
— Hoon (@theycallmehoon) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz I'm going to go out in a limb and guess standing for the flag wasn't in the list of reasons they came to America. You're a clown
— Breyden Moore (@BreyMoore) September 25, 2016
... @mattgaetz 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/sZeNJsSDKG
— DOMS Sufferer Kyle (@KyleMack13) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz this is a cowardly and selfish statement.
— (((Weed Detective))) (@WolfmanZack415) September 25, 2016
The man has not been deceased for 24 hours. This is so nasty and self-serving of you, @mattgaetz . https://t.co/tfjnFjvdpZ
— Asia M.B. (@AsiaChloeBrown) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz pic.twitter.com/RdBGeKPK6g
— Scott Turken (@Turk0219) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz very classy... Way to make the mourning of a young man all about your political views.
— Justin Mooney (@mooneybaron23) September 25, 2016
@mattgaetz Delete your career
— Charles P. Pierce (@ESQPolitics) September 25, 2016
After reading the tweets, the Florida lawmaker stood by his comments, adding:
My point is that while America remains imperfect, so many do so much to enjoy our freedoms. Seems ungrateful to kneel. Just my opinion. https://t.co/zUzmP8mCGC
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) September 25, 2016
Gaetz is running against Democrat Steven Specht for a congressional seat considered “safely Republican” by Ballotpedia.
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