BuzzFeed Editor Walks Back Saying ‘Don’t Pray. Push for Gun Control’ On Lafayette Shooting
In the immediate aftermath of the Louisiana movie theater shooting last night, Governor Bobby Jindal and numerous other figures took to the media and urged America to pray for the victims and those affected. In the midst of all this, BuzzFeed News editor Rachel Zarrell tweeted out her frustration with gun violence, but then, she tweeted a message that struck a negative chord with viewers:
Don't pray. Push for gun control.
— Rachel Zarrell (@rachelzarrell) July 24, 2015
After a responder suggested that it might not be the right time to politicize the tragedy, Zarrell doubled down:
@sunsentinello if this were someone in my family id want every person alive screaming about gun control to anyone who would listen
— Rachel Zarrell (@rachelzarrell) July 24, 2015
@sunsentinello without agenda there would be more tragedy.
— Rachel Zarrell (@rachelzarrell) July 24, 2015
Within the context of the ongoing story, Twitter users did not take Zarrell’s approach very well:
@sunsentinello @rachelzarrell no sense in reasoning w/ someone like this; they don't let a crisis go to waste.
— Ben Hardee (@BenHardee) July 24, 2015
@rachelzarrell Guns were prohibited. Your argument is invalid and ignorant, however your insensitivity is duly noted. pic.twitter.com/upCfYgW8eT
— LaSorsa & Associates (@LaSorsaTraining) July 24, 2015
This is extraordinarily insensitive. http://t.co/A8KyJWrG3V
— Ellen L. Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) July 24, 2015
@rachelzarrell Um, people can pray if they want to. You don't have any control over that.
— Dr. Z. Heffa, Ph.D (@ZeHeffa) July 24, 2015
The backlash hit a peak when conservative activist Stephen Miller linked a tweet to Zarrell and editor-in-chief Ben Smith that her tweet was a violation of BuzzFeed’s ethics code:
This is from Buzzfeed's ethics guide @BuzzFeedBen. Care to comment?
http://t.co/Gye4ZxUWFQ pic.twitter.com/HROjhKCWr9
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) July 24, 2015
No long afterwards, Zarrell admitted that her tweet was “reactive” and the wrong thing to say at the time:
.@redsteeze @BuzzFeedBen you're right, it was the wrong thing to say. I was being reactive. I don't speak for my colleagues.
— Rachel Zarrell (@rachelzarrell) July 24, 2015
[h/t Gawker]
[Image via LinkedIn]
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