The CMT network has been getting slammed by its followers on social media for tweeting out it’s support for an anti-Second Amendment organization.
“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.” CMT tweeted late last week.
Fans were quick to slam the cable channel and the numbers they used on social media.
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
The Los Angeles Times reports:
Some made their commercial threat explicit, not only toward CMT but also toward any artists showing support: “Yeah...that’ll ensure we don’t buy the songs of anyone who wears orange. Understand your data before you push an agenda.”
Many attacked the “100 lives” figure by pointing out that more than 60% of that number is acknowledged to represent suicides (commenters explicitly excluding suicides from “gun violence”). Many attacked CMT for allying with former New York Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, the primary funder of Everytown for Gun Safety, which promotes the Wear Orange campaign (Wear Orange is “a coalition we help lead,” an Everytown spokesman told The Times).
The Times viewed the early social media replies and noted that 95% of 100 responders were not in favor of CMT’s message.
The backlash from viewers may be felt Wednesday night as the network is set to broadcast the ‘CMT Music Awards’ with Chris Stapleton, H.E.R., Carrie Underwood and Dierks Bentley currently scheduled to perform.