Alabama Senator's Attack On NYC Homicide Rates Fails Miserably
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Although Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) previously made his name coaching football, these days, he’s more likely to put his foot in his mouth.
It happened last week, when Tuberville tied himself up in knots by expressing support for the Alabama Supreme Court’s decision that frozen embryos are children while simultaneously opposing the effects of the ruling.
And it happened again on Tuesday, when he made a sarcastic post on X, formerly Twitter, directed at President Joe Biden that also attacked what Tuberville claimed were dangerously high homicide rates in New York City.
Hope @JoeBiden enjoyed going out for ice cream in NYC while the rest of the city is afraid of crime and migrants.
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) February 27, 2024
The Alabama Republican probably felt pretty good after the post, since he managed to attack Biden, big cities in blue states and migrants in one go ― a conservative trifecta, to be sure.
There was just one problem: Tuberville had his facts wrong. In response to Tuberville’s post, Kyle Whitmire, a columnist for AL.com, pointed out that the Big Apple’s homicide rates are actually lower than Alabama’s on a per capita basis.
Like, way lower.
NYC’s homicide rate is 4.8 per 100k. Alabama’s homicide rate is 15.9 per 100k — more than three times that of NYC. https://t.co/iyqnMpwlcL
— Kyle Whitmire (@WarOnDumb) February 27, 2024
Unlike Tuberville, Whitmire also offered links to information supporting his claims in subsequent tweets. As of Tuesday afternoon, the senator hadn’t responded to Whitmire’s fact check.
But others did, mostly to ridicule Tuberville for stoking fears sure to appeal to low-information voters and ignoring how nice New York City actually is.
I can regularly walk around NYC at any hour of the day without a second thought for my own personal safety. Can’t say the same for anywhere in Alabama. https://t.co/nBkusWpbqx
— Adam James (@adamj_griff) February 27, 2024
Hey Tommy Touchdowns you should visit Brooklyn and walk our beautiful streets. I’ll know it’s you when you walk by because my dog senses fear and he’ll lunge at you in your frightened state you racist propagandist asshole. https://t.co/T8MFYnEowh
— Brian Rosenworcel (@Bowl_of_Worcel) February 27, 2024
Things I spend my days afraid of in New York: random right-wing football coaches from Alabama getting massive political power and using it to take reproductive freedoms away
Things I do not spend my days afraid of: crime and migrants https://t.co/upTB4HsJL6— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) February 27, 2024
I personally got murdered three times in NYC over the last six months. https://t.co/uUxXXgzCRo
— Maura Dougherty (@mauradougherty) February 27, 2024
You are an embarrassment to the senate https://t.co/uUGkLnKh4b
— jim manley (@jamespmanley) February 27, 2024
this is an incredible self own. https://t.co/3DBhBuAoYGpic.twitter.com/qrRAdjDiNF
— Guy Wire (@fambonijones) February 27, 2024