Kyle Kashuv, a pro-gun survivor of the February 14 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, slammed an essay former President Barack Obama wrote about student activists from the teen's school, calling it "asinine" and "un-American."
Obama wrote the glowing letter about Kashuv's classmates for Time magazine's annual 100 Most Influential People list, in which Marjory Stoneman Douglas students Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin, David Hogg, Emma González and Alex Wind were featured for their gun-control activism.
"Seared by memories of seeing their friends murdered at a place they believed to be safe, these young leaders don't intimidate easily," Obama wrote. "They see the NRA and its allies—whether mealymouthed politicians or mendacious commentators peddling conspiracy theories—as mere shills for those who make money selling weapons of war to whoever can pay."
He continued, "Our history is defined by the youthful push to make America more just, more compassionate, more equal under the law. This generation—of Parkland, of Dreamers, of Black Lives Matter—embraces that duty."
Kashuv suggested on Twitter that the letter excluded and ignored students with differing points of view, like him.
As a former president, @BarackObama, shouldn't you be supportive of anyone executing their #1A and commend all the students from MSD (esp ones who lost loved ones) that are adding to the dialogue?
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 19, 2018
Why do you only recognize those who you agree with? Seems asinine and un-American https://t.co/IQq9reF2R0
"As a former president, @BarackObama, shouldn't you be supportive of anyone executing their #1A and commend all the students from MSD (esp ones who lost loved ones) that are adding to the dialogue?," the teen tweeted. "Why do you only recognize those who you agree with? Seems asinine and un-American."
Commenters responded by asking if Kashuv felt President Donald Trump had been supportive of all students. The teen said he believed Trump had done "quite well" in supporting those with opposing views.
President Barack Obama did not respond to Kashuv's tweet. The teen later called Obama a "coward."
Embraced by conservative commentators and right-wing bloggers, Kashuv has become the most vocal pro-gun student from Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The 16-year-old traveled to Washington, D.C. and met with lawmakers for a bill designed to bolster school security shortly after the shooting, and posed for pictures with Vice President Mike Pence and Trump.
On Friday, as teens across the country marched in the streets on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting, Kashuv staged his own "walk-up" in support of the Second Amendment and hosted a handful of conservative speakers via live stream.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
