Maine's Most Famous Resident Is Incensed

Stephen King says the 'madness' of mass shootings must be stopped
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 26, 2023 2:49 PM CDT
Maine's Most Famous Resident Is Incensed
Author Stephen King in a file photo.   (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

The mass shootings in Maine struck close to home, literally, for Stephen King, who posted an angry response on Thursday:

  • "The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where I live," tweeted the author on X. "I went to high school in Lisbon. It's the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder." In a second post, he added, "THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES."

The satirical Onion echoed the latter point by running the same story it runs after every mass shooting in the US, headlined, 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens." As Newsweek notes, King has long been an advocate for tougher gun laws, particularly in regard to assault-style weapons. In a statement Thursday, President Biden again called for a ban on such weapons, per the AP. "Far too many Americans have now had a family member killed or injured as a result of gun violence," he said. "That is not normal, and we cannot accept it." With 18 fatalities, the attack in Maine is the deadliest mass killing in the US this year, per the Washington Post. (Survivors are telling their stories.)

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