Former Congressman and frequent presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-Texas) made headlines this morning when he posted a controversial tweet on his Twitter account in response to the death of “American Sniper” author Christopher Kyle, who was killed at point-blank range outside a Texas shooting range Saturday by a veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Chris Kyle’s death seems to confirm that “he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.” Treating PTSD at a firing range doesn’t make sense
— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) February 4, 2013
Paul, one of Congress’ most notorious libertarians, has a long history of opposing American military intervention abroad. He was one of the few Republicans in Congress to vote against the War on Terrorism.
He is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, however, and had an A rating from the National Rifle Association. Shortly after the Newtown shooting, Paul posted on his old congressional website that he “agrees more guns equal less crime” and that “private gun ownership prevents many shootings,” opposing the calls for additional gun controls in America.
Naturally, there has been much outrage on Twitter regarding the former Congressman’s tweet, including the following:
As detailed in his 2012 best-selling memoir, Kyle was the country’s most lethal shooter in history, with 160 confirmed kills to his name. A former Navy SEAL with two silver stars before retiring in 2009, Kyle was an outspoken defender of the Second Amendment, even helping to start a foundation to assist military veterans struggling with PTSD.
