Obama education secretary excoriated for likening anti-maskers to Kabul suicide bombers in tweet

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Secretary of education under President Obama, Arne Duncan, set social media ablaze on Sunday after he likened anti-maskers and those who oppose the COVID-19 vaccine to the radical Islamic suicide bombers who killed U.S. service members at the Kabul airport last week.

"Have you noticed how strikingly similar both the mindsets and actions between the suicide bombers at Kabul’s airport, and the anti-mask and anti-vax people here?" Duncan wrote on Twitter. "They both blow themselves up, inflict harm on those around them, and are convinced they are fighting for freedom."

Duncan, one of former President Barack Obama’s longest-serving Cabinet officials, made the comment shortly before the bodies of 13 U.S. service members, who were killed in last week's terrorist suicide bombing attack in Afghanistan, were received by the president and first lady at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday.

Duncan's comments prompted a fierce reaction on social media, with critics noting the irony of his words just a day after he encouraged people to "treat each other with compassion."

THESE ARE THE US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN THE KABUL AIRPORT ATTACK

"What a difference a day makes," one user wrote, calling out Duncan's "rapid hypocrisy."

"This tweet will just make people think mental illness is a side effect of the vaccine," The Blaze's Jessica O'Donnell tweeted.

"You lack a soul and brain. The only thing striking is your ignorance," radio host Jason Rantz said.

Matthew Betley, a veteran and self-described "pro-mask pro-vaccine conservative" urged Duncan to, "Delete your account, now, you shameless, soulless ghoul." 

"I'm a pro-mask, pro-vaccine conservative - by personal choice because of my lung damage from Iraq, not by mandate - and you literally SUCK at this thing called being a human being," he wrote.

"Have you noticed whenever you look in a mirror you see a worthless, anti-American douchebag?" Dan Gainor responded.

Actor Rich Sommer also weighed in, writing "wow as in, "wow, this is such a bizarre thing to tweet or even think in the first place, just absolutely bizarre."

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"On the day that President Biden met the caskets containing the fallen soldiers who were victims of suicide bombers, I can't imagine a more inappropriate Tweet from former Education Secretary @arneduncan," another user responded. "There's no comparison between non-masking, non-vaxxing & terrorism. Shame."