Former congressman promises ‘war,’ warns Obama to ‘watch out’ after Dallas shootings
Congress
Former congressman promises ‘war,’ warns Obama to ‘watch out’ after Dallas shootings
Following the killing of at least five police officers in Dallas overnight, a former one-term congressman from Illinois ignited a firestorm with a now-deleted tweet threatening President Obama with “war” and warning Black Lives Matter demonstrators to “watch out.”
“3 Dallas cops killed, 7 wounded,” former Rep. Joe Walsh, an Illinois Republican, wrote just before midnight, in a tweet that is no longer on his profile: “This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you.”
The reaction to the tweet was an immediate mix of shock and outrage, as Twitter users assailed Walsh for openly threatening the president and for the racially charged nature of the tweet.
Did Joe Walsh just threaten the President of the United States of America? And what's he mean by "Real America"? Men in white hoods? Clarify
— Mercadoodles (@mercadoodles) July 8, 2016
Well Joe Walsh did just threaten the president….have the Sec Service kicked his doors in yet?
— Chris R (@PsychicStoner) July 8, 2016
First and foremost I just saw joe Walsh threaten the president of the United States and if he hasn't been arrested by the time I wake up…
— kodak mack (@themackintosh_) July 8, 2016
Others accused him of intentionally trying to start a race war.
Joe Walsh is actively calling for a race war and threatened the POTUS. He should be arrested for terrorism.
— Tron Snow (@JustCallMeSmith) July 8, 2016
Joe Walsh is literally hoping for the same thing that Charles Mansion was: a race war where 'his side' comes out on top
— Gore Vidal Sassoon (@JimmyJazz1968) July 8, 2016
And here we go with someone (Joe Walsh) trying to incite a race war. Don't let him do it. He's a very, very, sick human being. #FixItJesus
— Angela Brown (@AngelaIRL) July 8, 2016
The scene in Dallas where 11 police officers were shot, 5 killed during demonstrations
View Photos
Snipers shot 11 Dallas police officers during protest rally, killing five, police say.
Walsh’s deleted tweet was not the only one in which he took aim at Obama, blaming him directly for the deaths of the Dallas police officers. After deleting the tweet, Walsh returned to Twitter to respond to the accusations that he was trying to incite a race war. He blamed Obama and BLM protesters for the shootings.
I wasn't calling for violence, against Obama or anyone. Obama's words & BLM's deeds have gotten cops killed. Time for us to defend our cops.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
At one point, he called for Black Lives Matter to be classified as a “hate group.”
BLM should be categorized as a hate group.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
10 Cops shot.
You did this Obama.
You did this liberals.
You did this #BLM.
Time to defend our Cops. Wake up. Live Breaking News Video
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
In a Thursday speech on the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, black men killed by police officers, delivered well before the Dallas shootings, Obama addressed the notion of anti-police sentiment that has come up in the protests against police killings of mostly black men.
“When people say Black Lives Matter, that doesn’t mean Blue Lives don’t matter,” he said. “It just means all lives matter. … This isn’t a matter of comparing the value of lives.”
Obama on Dallas shooting: 'Vicious, calculated and despicable'
Play Video1:54
President Obama gave remarks on the Dallas shooting that has left at least five police officers dead, while at a summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8. (Reuters)
But in other tweets that remain on his profile, Walsh called on “patriotic Americans to stand up & stand against all the Cop haters” — including the president and “uneducated black thugs.”
It's time 4 patriotic Americans to stand up & stand against all the Cop haters – from Obama to the thugs on the street.
It's way past time.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
Obama says Cops are racist so 2 uneducated black thugs shoot 10 Dallas Cops tonight, killing 4.
Wake up silent majority. Stand w our Cops.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
And Walsh’s tweets kept coming, even after Dallas police officials said repeatedly that while they had certain suspects in custody, they did not know why the shootings had taken place. On Friday morning, Walsh was defending not only his earlier tweets, but his right to jump to conclusions about who was responsible and why.
Obama & MN Gov Dayton popped off about racism after Baton Rouge & Minn. Before the facts were in.
Dallas? He says wait for the facts. Smh
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
When so called "leaders" constantly hate on Cops, eventually thugs on the street will go after Cops.
That was Dallas last night. An ambush.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
Incidentally, the LGBT community and Muslims also got some of Walsh’s twitter ire.
4 Dallas Cops assassinated tonight.
Blacks lives matter cheers.
LGBT blames Christians.
Obama defends Islam.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
Many wondered at whether Walsh’s tweets should have consequences — though they doubted there would be any.
What would become of Joe Walsh if he was Muslim or black and wrote that tweet? Gabriel Montoya™ on Twitter
— Matthew Rosenberg (@AllMattNYT) July 8, 2016
If Joe Walsh isn't arrested tonight, our laws are worthless.
— Matt Murphy (@MattMurph24) July 8, 2016
And many more wished Twitter would just ignore him.
I think we've probably given Joe Walsh more than his fair share of attention for the evening.
— Jesse Berney (@jesseberney) July 8, 2016
Congress
Former congressman promises ‘war,’ warns Obama to ‘watch out’ after Dallas shootings
Following the killing of at least five police officers in Dallas overnight, a former one-term congressman from Illinois ignited a firestorm with a now-deleted tweet threatening President Obama with “war” and warning Black Lives Matter demonstrators to “watch out.”
“3 Dallas cops killed, 7 wounded,” former Rep. Joe Walsh, an Illinois Republican, wrote just before midnight, in a tweet that is no longer on his profile: “This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you.”
The reaction to the tweet was an immediate mix of shock and outrage, as Twitter users assailed Walsh for openly threatening the president and for the racially charged nature of the tweet.
Did Joe Walsh just threaten the President of the United States of America? And what's he mean by "Real America"? Men in white hoods? Clarify
— Mercadoodles (@mercadoodles) July 8, 2016
Well Joe Walsh did just threaten the president….have the Sec Service kicked his doors in yet?
— Chris R (@PsychicStoner) July 8, 2016
First and foremost I just saw joe Walsh threaten the president of the United States and if he hasn't been arrested by the time I wake up…
— kodak mack (@themackintosh_) July 8, 2016
Others accused him of intentionally trying to start a race war.
Joe Walsh is actively calling for a race war and threatened the POTUS. He should be arrested for terrorism.
— Tron Snow (@JustCallMeSmith) July 8, 2016
Joe Walsh is literally hoping for the same thing that Charles Mansion was: a race war where 'his side' comes out on top
— Gore Vidal Sassoon (@JimmyJazz1968) July 8, 2016
And here we go with someone (Joe Walsh) trying to incite a race war. Don't let him do it. He's a very, very, sick human being. #FixItJesus
— Angela Brown (@AngelaIRL) July 8, 2016
The scene in Dallas where 11 police officers were shot, 5 killed during demonstrations
View Photos
Snipers shot 11 Dallas police officers during protest rally, killing five, police say.
Walsh’s deleted tweet was not the only one in which he took aim at Obama, blaming him directly for the deaths of the Dallas police officers. After deleting the tweet, Walsh returned to Twitter to respond to the accusations that he was trying to incite a race war. He blamed Obama and BLM protesters for the shootings.
I wasn't calling for violence, against Obama or anyone. Obama's words & BLM's deeds have gotten cops killed. Time for us to defend our cops.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
At one point, he called for Black Lives Matter to be classified as a “hate group.”
BLM should be categorized as a hate group.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
10 Cops shot.
You did this Obama.
You did this liberals.
You did this #BLM.
Time to defend our Cops. Wake up. Live Breaking News Video
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
In a Thursday speech on the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, black men killed by police officers, delivered well before the Dallas shootings, Obama addressed the notion of anti-police sentiment that has come up in the protests against police killings of mostly black men.
“When people say Black Lives Matter, that doesn’t mean Blue Lives don’t matter,” he said. “It just means all lives matter. … This isn’t a matter of comparing the value of lives.”
Obama on Dallas shooting: 'Vicious, calculated and despicable'
Play Video1:54
President Obama gave remarks on the Dallas shooting that has left at least five police officers dead, while at a summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8. (Reuters)
But in other tweets that remain on his profile, Walsh called on “patriotic Americans to stand up & stand against all the Cop haters” — including the president and “uneducated black thugs.”
It's time 4 patriotic Americans to stand up & stand against all the Cop haters – from Obama to the thugs on the street.
It's way past time.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
Obama says Cops are racist so 2 uneducated black thugs shoot 10 Dallas Cops tonight, killing 4.
Wake up silent majority. Stand w our Cops.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
And Walsh’s tweets kept coming, even after Dallas police officials said repeatedly that while they had certain suspects in custody, they did not know why the shootings had taken place. On Friday morning, Walsh was defending not only his earlier tweets, but his right to jump to conclusions about who was responsible and why.
Obama & MN Gov Dayton popped off about racism after Baton Rouge & Minn. Before the facts were in.
Dallas? He says wait for the facts. Smh
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
When so called "leaders" constantly hate on Cops, eventually thugs on the street will go after Cops.
That was Dallas last night. An ambush.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
Incidentally, the LGBT community and Muslims also got some of Walsh’s twitter ire.
4 Dallas Cops assassinated tonight.
Blacks lives matter cheers.
LGBT blames Christians.
Obama defends Islam.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 8, 2016
Many wondered at whether Walsh’s tweets should have consequences — though they doubted there would be any.
What would become of Joe Walsh if he was Muslim or black and wrote that tweet? Gabriel Montoya™ on Twitter
— Matthew Rosenberg (@AllMattNYT) July 8, 2016
If Joe Walsh isn't arrested tonight, our laws are worthless.
— Matt Murphy (@MattMurph24) July 8, 2016
And many more wished Twitter would just ignore him.
I think we've probably given Joe Walsh more than his fair share of attention for the evening.
— Jesse Berney (@jesseberney) July 8, 2016
