It didn't take long for director Michael Moore to receive backlash for comments suggesting COVID-19 vaccines be withheld from Texas after the state's governor rescinded the mask requirement order.
Moore took to Twitter on Wednesday to blast Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott, who said it was "time to reopen Texas 100 percent" and do away with a statewide mask mandate that had been implemented eight months earlier amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The "Bowling for Columbine" director tweeted:
"Texas —we hear you. You didn't want to be part of our electrical grid. And now you've removed your mask mandate & are allowing large crowds to gather. We hear you! COVID is a hoax! So u don't need our precious vaccine. We'll send it to ppl who are saving lives by wearing masks."
Twitter members with various political beliefs were swift to attack Moore.
New York Magazine/HuffPost contributor Yashar Ali tweeted:
"First Keith Olbermann and now Michael Moore ... don't be like this. Don't punish people for the decisions of their political leaders. And don’t claim to care about minorities if you’re going to say stuff like this."
Political commentator Keith Olbermann also posted a tweet questioning why the vaccine would go to a state whose governor had defied the advice of medical experts, per Mediaite.
Brené Brown, who says she's a "Researcher. Storyteller. Texan." sent Moore this tweet:
"There are many of us who are really struggling under the lack of leadership in our state. Folks are dying and with this new deflection mandate from the gov, more will die. This comment is not helpful. Don’t become the people you oppose."
Author John Pavlovitz tweeted:
"Texas' governor no more represents all Texans than Trump represented all Americans. Crap take, Mike. Do better."
The Libertarian Party for Texas tweeted:
"Quite a statement from someone who believes in Universal Healthcare. "Universal Healthcare!" (unless we don't like your opinion)"
Less than an hour following his first tweet, which quickly was "ratioed" by responses calling the remarks insensitive, Moore posted three more tweets:
2. "Yes, we must and will find a way to vaccinate the poor and people of color in Texas. To Texans who say, hey, it's not me – it's the Governor! Well, then, impeach and remove him. We're tired of this. Don't mess with Texas? Happy to oblige."
3. "Btw - Houston is the first city in the country to record the presence of ALL the new variants of the coronavirus. The rest of us must find a way to protect ourselves from the policies and politicians of Texas."
4. "Texas is no longer majority white. The 57% majority is Latinx and Black and Asian and Native American. So let's do everything we can to help that majority remove the bigots and ignoramuses from office. It's killing them, and it's killing us"
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