In the wake of a tragedy like the Newtown, CT shooting, emotions are undoubtedly running high, and Twitter has become the default platform for many to voice their opinions and process their emotions. Naturally, then, some public figures are liable to type things in the heat of the moment that they might later regret.
That was apparently the case for Blake Shelton on Friday. When news broke of the shooting in Newtown at Sandy Hook elementary school, Shelton tweeted a debatably inflammatory statement: "The killing of defenseless people and innocent children. I'm sad and sickened. This is why we all should be prepared to defend and guard." The comment was later deleted, but CBS News saved a copy of the tweet.
Shelton's followers took the country singer and "Voice" coach to task for his views on gun control and the wording of his tweet. He later agreed that he could've chosen his words better in response to one critic:
Earlier this year, Shelton took part in the NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shootout, and shared his thoughts on the Second Amendment during the event. “This is about a right that I want to support and that I believe in, and if I can have fun while doing that, that’s even better," he told reporters at the sporting clays competition, according to the Las Vegas Sun newspaper.
This isn't the first time Shelton's Twitter comments have landed him in hot water. In July, Shelton drew the ire of animal rights activists after joking that he'd deliberately killed a turtle while driving, and in 2011, the star was accused of making homophobic remarks on two occasions.