Neil deGrasse Tyson apologizes for insensitive tweet following El Paso, Dayton mass shootings
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Neil deGrasse Tyson apologized after an insensitive tweet following last weekend's mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso.
On Sunday, Tyson tweeted a list of several other means by which Americans perish every 48 hours.
"In the past 48hrs, the USA horrifically lost 34 people to mass shootings. On average, across any 48hrs, we also lose… 500 to Medical errors 300 to the Flu 250 to Suicide 200 to Car Accidents 40 to Homicide via Handgun Often our emotions respond more to spectacle than to data," he wrote.
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Other accounts threw obscenities at the Harvard grad, without addressing his direct points, including the official account for the band "Smash Mouth."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The science commentator has hosted several TV series, including “Nova.” He’s known for such bestselling books as “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.”
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Tyson wrote on Facebook on Monday a reiteration of his original points, but added, "My intent was to offer objectively true information that might help shape conversations and reactions to preventable ways we die. Where I miscalculated was that I genuinely believed the Tweet would be helpful to anyone trying to save lives in America. What I learned from the range of reactions is that for many people, some information –-my Tweet in particular -- can be true but unhelpful, especially at a time when many people are either still in shock, or trying to heal – or both."
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He continued, "So if you are one of those people, I apologize for not knowing in advance what effect my Tweet could have on you. I am therefore thankful for the candor and depth of critical reactions shared in my Twitter feed. As an educator, I personally value knowing with precision and accuracy what reaction anything that I say (or write) will instill in my audience, and I got this one wrong."
Fox News' Nick Givas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.