LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie is drawing criticism after tweeting a photo of him and his family holding guns in front of a Christmas tree.
"Merry Christmas!, ps. Santa, please bring ammo," read the Saturday tweet by the Republican Congressman from Kentucky's Fourth District, which showed everyone in the photo holding various types of guns.
The tweet came just days after four teenagers were killed in a school shooting in Michigan.
Fellow U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky. 3rd District) retweeted the photo with the message, "I promise not everyone in Kentucky is an insensitive asshole."
I promise not everyone in Kentucky is an insensitive asshole. https://t.co/8NjWJpdXIF
— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) December 4, 2021
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Massie's family is known to like hunting, and having guns in his Christmas photo shouldn't be considered a statement on the Michigan shooting.
"I don't think it had anything relationship with it and I think people sort of conflated the two," Paul said.
Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) said the timing is relevant.
"Listen, I believe strongly in the Second Amendment," he said. "But I still have empathy for people who have been harmed and killed. It’s not appropriate. What I would say is try to be a good, caring human being and know that you can have strong opinions, but it’s not the time and it wasn’t the place."
Massie's district includes eastern Jefferson County, north to Kenton County and east to Greenup County.
Chris Brown with the Kenton County Democrats said it was irresponsible for a Congressman especially to tweet a photo like that and poorly represents Kentucky.
"It's almost tone deaf," she said. "Not almost, it definitely is tone deaf. It doesn't shine us in the best light, and we have a wonderful state here."
Political analyst and University of Kentucky Political Science Associate Professor Stephen Voss, Ph.D., said the photo is in line with Massie's style.
"I don't think Rep. Massie will really have surprised the constituents — who both like him and dislike him — by him causing a stir this time," Voss said.
The reaction of parents who have lost children in school shootings was swift, according to CNN.
"@RepThomasMassie, since we are sharing family photos, here are mine," tweeted Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was one of 17 people who died in the 2018 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. "One is the last photo that I ever took of Jaime, the other is where she is buried because of the Parkland school shooting."
.@RepThomasMassie, since we are sharing family photos, here are mine. One is the last photo that I ever took of Jaime, the other is where she is buried because of the Parkland school shooting.The Michigan school shooter and his family used to take photos like yours as well. pic.twitter.com/MsQWneJXAp
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) December 4, 2021
On Nov. 30, four students were killed in a shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, and seven people were wounded. A 15-year-old boy is accused of the shooting and faces murder, terrorism and other charges, and his parents face four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting.
The attack was the deadliest US school shooting since eight students and two teachers were slain in May 2018 at Texas' Santa Fe High School, according to CNN. There have been 48 shootings this year on K-12 campuses, 32 of them since Aug. 1.
Christine Arnett with Kentucky's Chapter of Moms Demand Action said the photo fans the flames of a 'guns everywhere' culture.
“Rep. Massie’s decision to make light of gun violence by using dangerous firearms as political props in the hands of children is not only deeply inappropriate and insensitive, but it also glorifies firearm usage among children,” Arnett said. “Even as we enter the holiday season, the gun violence epidemic continues to threaten communities across our state and throughout the country.”
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