Several news outlets reported Thursday and Friday that vandals were cutting down trees at Joshua Tree National Park to clear paths for off-road vehicles. The news was first reported by an independent news site called National Parks Traveler.
Officials at Joshua Tree National Park say some of the iconic trees and landscape have been damaged by visitors and motorists during the government shutdown. https://t.co/R5stQeFX6O pic.twitter.com/G52wWOKhcK
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 10, 2019
We spend a lot of time on Twitter, obviously, so we’re no strangers to progressives sharing their assassination fantasies. (The New York Times even published a short story about President Trump being assassinated, with the help of the Secret Service, so that fantasy’s been well covered.)
But we’re actually kind of surprised that those who speak for the trees are passionate about it to the point of murder fantasies. Journalist Barbara Ehrenreich kicked things off:
If I had a gun and knew how to use it, my first target would be the fiends who’ve been destroying Joshua Trees in the eponymous park. The rest of you bastards can wait.
— Barbara Ehrenreich (@B_Ehrenreich) January 12, 2019
Suggest to delete this tweet as it can reasonably be construed as threatening people with violence which violates Twitter rules.
— Koen Swinkels (@KoenSwinkels) January 12, 2019
Don’t worry. It’s in the conditional voice and I have no way of hurting these rats. Unfortunately.
— Barbara Ehrenreich (@B_Ehrenreich) January 12, 2019
We know damn well Twitter’s not going to get involved here.
I will hand you the ammunition. I hate my species sometimes.
— Sharon Novak (@SharonNovak) January 12, 2019
It's never too late to learn. I recommend a pump action 12 gauge shotgun. Just point it, squeeze the trigger and it's pretty sure to hit something.
— The Last Raven (@deathandraven) January 12, 2019
That’s the same firearm Vice President Joe Biden recommended everyone buy!
Actually, several of my family members are skilled shooters.
— Barbara Ehrenreich (@B_Ehrenreich) January 12, 2019
First they should be forced at gunpoint to clean the park of all the beer cans, fast-food containers, and shotgun casings while wearing orange jumpsuits….
— Ben W Dickinson (@BenWDickinson) January 12, 2019
Still time to learn.
— Arturo Hammer (@ArtAHammer) January 12, 2019
You can borrow mine.
— what if reply guy but too much? (@atom_smashr) January 13, 2019
I’m totally considering that myself.
Here’s the non-violent way: shoot out their big expensive off road tires (at least two) when they are 30-40 miles from the road.
Make them walk 30 miles in the desert for help.
— Culty M0therfvcker McKillah (@CultKillah) January 12, 2019
The feeling is mutual. Their trucks and campsites should be dealt with in the same way the trees were.
— Gisele (@goldenstatesb) January 12, 2019
"You really think it's okay to shoot people for cutting down some trees?"
These trees? Yes.
— Eternal Colossus Roar (@TonyHighwind) January 13, 2019
Look, we’re not at all happy that people have been cutting down trees in a state park, but we’re not entertaining fantasies of shooting people either — maybe it’s something people who aren’t familiar with firearms do? (We’ll wait here for Ehrenreich to claim we said she literally threatened to shoot someone and don’t understand context.)
And just for the record, the Joshua tree in the featured image for this post died during a drought … so, climate change.
Did you know Joshua trees are facing possible extinction? Scientists claim the Joshua Tree habitat will be lost to climate change by 2100.
Twenty days into the government shutdown, vandals are accelerating the trees’ demise.https://t.co/klRKWeaOem pic.twitter.com/julwj4bBJg
— Vox (@voxdotcom) January 10, 2019
They cut down Joshua trees
In Joshua Tree National National Park.
Donald Trump is literally destroying America. https://t.co/Dpd6UmXANy
— Bill Prady (@billprady) January 10, 2019
Related:
'I am coming with a gun': Twitter rando threatens to collect 'bloodstained MAGA hats' at Trump hotel meet-up https://t.co/yDRAeL906K
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 11, 2018
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