Astrophysicist and media personality Neil deGrasse Tyson is facing criticism for his reaction to this weekend’s mass shootings.
On Sunday, Tyson took to Twitter to offer his opinion on the massacres in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, saying a lot more people are killed by medical errors, the flu and car accidents than mass shootings.
“In the past 48hrs, the USA horrifically lost 34 people to mass shootings. On average, across any 48hrs, we also lose… 500 to Medical errors, 300 to the Flu, 250 to Suicide, 200 to Car Accidents, 40 to Homicide via Handgun,” Tyson tweeted. “Often our emotions respond more to spectacle than to data.”
In the past 48hrs, the USA horrifically lost 34 people to mass shootings.
On average, across any 48hrs, we also lose…
500 to Medical errors
300 to the Flu
250 to Suicide
200 to Car Accidents
40 to Homicide via HandgunOften our emotions respond more to spectacle than to data.
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) August 4, 2019
The post drew thousands of replies, with many people criticizing Tyson for downplaying the two shootings, which claimed at least 29 lives in less than 24 hours.
Related Story: #ThisIsAmerica Hashtag Dominates Twitter After El Paso and Dayton Shootings
“I know you’re trying to math people here, but this is tasteless and disrespectful. Lost all respect for you,” one person replied.
I know you're trying to math people here, but this is tasteless and disrespectful. Lost all respect for you.
— ??? ??? ??? (@teafortat) August 4, 2019
“Just never thought I’d live to see Neil deGrasse Tyson explaining why deaths from white supremacists weren’t a big deal using math,” another person tweeted.
https://twitter.com/TheSciBabe/status/1158147934606594049
Someone else said: “Brotha, you’re way too intelligent to tweet some bullshit like that.”
Brotha, you’re way too intelligent to tweet some bullshit like that.
— ASAP (@2StepWhatIRep) August 5, 2019
While another person called Tyson’s reaction “despicable.”
The idea that you are calling white supremacists murdering people in public because of the color of their skin “spectacle” and our reactions to this “emotional” is despicable. Don’t try to logic me out of being angry at cold blooded murders in our streets.
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) August 4, 2019
