CMT (Country Music Television) elicited some strong responses last Friday (June 4) after the ViacomCBS-owned network tweeted its support of the Michael Bloomberg-backed Everytown for Gun Safety's "Wear Orange" initiative.
"We're (virtually) wearing orange today in support National Gun Violence Awareness Day and to call attention to the more than 100 lives that are lost every day to gun violence," read CMT's tweet, which accompanied an infographic citing CDC data from 2015 to 2019.
We're (virtually) wearing orange today in support National Gun Violence Awareness Day and to call attention to the more than 100 lives that are lost every day to gun violence. #WearOrange and visit https://t.co/yCVs91toXw for more. pic.twitter.com/Ir1tsENn1W
— CMT (@CMT) June 4, 2021
Some followers threatened to stop watching the network while questioning why any media company would oppose the "core values" of its consumers.
"You just lost 75 percent of your viewers," read one response. "I for one, will not ever watch any station who champions any campaign against the 2nd Amendment, which is what CMT just did. You'd think they would know their audiance (sp), but you put woke idiots in charge, and you get stupidity."
Others brought up separate hot-button issues.
"Nope. Not physically. Not virtually," read another respone. "We have a CRIMINAL problem. Criminals don't abide by gun laws. Law-abiding citizens can rightfully bear arms. We have hundreds of laws and Hollywood and Dems want to defund police. Who do you think enforces laws? Get real."
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Even complaints about "pop music" in the country space somehow entered the discussion.
"If you need more proof that today's country music was nothing more than watered-down pop there it is," reads one Twitter user's reply.
Amid the outpouring of opposition, some tweets applauded CMT's stance.
"Maybe you have forgotten the horror of Las Vegas," read one response to a user accusing CMT of losing sight of its audience's values. "Or maybe you don't give a [sh*t] about country music fans dying in a worst mass shooting in America."
Everytown for Gun Safety is a nonprofit organization which advocates for gun control and against gun violence. Everytown was created in 2013 when Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America joined forces. Everytown for Gun Safety is largely financed by Michael Bloomberg.
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