Gunning for controversy: Has Piers Morgan shot himself?

US White House petition calls for British CNN host to be deported for attacking Second Amendment

US gun rights advocates have signed a White House petition calling for British CNN host Piers Morgan to be deported for allegedly attacking the Second Amendment rights of ordinary Americans.

Just two days after the petition calling for Morgan's deportation was posted, it had already garnered more than 28,500 signatures late Sunday, far and beyond the 25,000 required to get a response from the White House.

The outspoken former British tabloid editor has launched something of a personal crusade for greater gun control measures in the wake of the December 14 massacre at Sandy Hook elementary in Newtown, Connecticut.

On Tuesday, Morgan held an especially contentious interview with Gun Owners of America executive director Larry Pratt, appearing to become incensed and incredulous when Pratt suggested more, not fewer, weapons as the solution.

"You're an unbelievably stupid man, aren't you?" Morgan asked during the heated debate. "You have absolutely no coherent argument. You don't actually give a damn about the gun murder rate in America."

Following the interview, a Texas journalist posted a petition on the White House website alleging Morgan "is engaged in a hostile attack against the US Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment."

"We demand that Mr Morgan be deported immediately for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights and for exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens," it says.

Many Americans follow a literal interpretation of the Second Amendment, which enshrines the "right to bear arms" in the US Constitution.

Morgan insists America can outlaw military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines without infringing on people's constitutional rights and says he has no quarrel with the Second Amendment.

A defiant Morgan refused to back down from his position.

"Ironic US gun rights campaign to deport me for 'attacking 2nd Amendment rights' - is my opinion not protected under 1st Amendment rights?" he posted on his Twitter feed Saturday, referring to freedom of speech provisions.

Morgan continued to post incendiary comments on the gun control debate, including a response on Sunday morning to an NBC interview with a top official in the powerful pro-gun lobby group, the National Rifle Association.

"Watching @davidgregory expose Wayne Lapierre for what he is - a dangerous, dim-witted, deluded menace to American safety. @NRA," Morgan tweeted.

And to the petition's sponsor, he wrote: "Bring it on, you goon."

At least some Americans have come out in support of British citizen.

In one message, reposted by Morgan, Lee Cox in Arizona wrote: "I'm a native-born US citizen, and I agree 100% with Mr. Morgan. If he goes back to the UK, should I go with him?"

America has suffered an epidemic of gun violence over the last three decades including 62 mass shooting incidents since 1982. The vast majority of weapons used have been semi-automatic weapons obtained legally by the killers.

 

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Comments

  • R. Ransdell 27 December 2012 07:01 2 1
    If guards with guns are such a dumb idea, why does David Gregory send his kids to a school with guards with guns?
  • Chris 26 December 2012 08:02 1 3
    I support Piers Morgan's stand on gun control and his right to speak honestly. Keep him on the air.
  • Jett Rink 25 December 2012 21:34 0 0
    Piers was a horrible man before he made any of these comments, but the idea of putting guns and guards in schools is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. The solution to mass shootings is not more guns and anyone being honest has the courage to admit that .
  • Josh 25 December 2012 04:29 11 3
    Piers Morgan is not an American citizen, he has no first amendment rights.
  • Jassy 25 December 2012 02:39 2 5
    The NRA unintelligibly believes that Freedom of Speech only applies to born and bred Americans, even as it cowardly hides behind its foolish interpretation of the Right to Bear Arms at the risk of the lives of its own members.
  • dickie bird 24 December 2012 20:08 3 9
    Crazy Americans forgot the first ammendment. Piers Morgan is smart.
  • dude 24 December 2012 18:33 6 2
    it's more about the fact that he does not have skin in this game. He is not american citizen hence people get doubly mad when someone like him injects himself into internal political debate.
  • Kal 24 December 2012 09:21 6 10
    The guy speaks a lot of truth and is backed by accurate statistics. Doesn't the first amendment allow freedom of speech and freedom of press?

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