Texas Sheriff fires back at critics over Manchester Facebook post
Denton County, Texas Sheriff Tracy Murphree received worldwide attention and criticism over his Facebook post Monday night reacting to the attack at a concert in Manchester, England. In part, Sheriff Murphree said, “Pay attention to what is happening in Europe. This is what happens when you disarm your citizens.”
The Sheriff defended his comments, telling the FOX Business Network’s Charles Payne, “I stand by my comments, I really thought they were on target. I thought I was basically repeating what many people have been saying for years. I was angered by what I saw in Manchester, children being killed, I have kids of my own.”
Murphree was surprised by the global reaction to his comments, saying, “That shocks me, I expected a lot of criticism from the left, from liberals, but I expected that more locally than worldwide. I don’t understand why a Texas Sheriff’s Facebook post has gone worldwide.”
Murphree then raised concerns about the impact of the political climate in Europe as well as under the Obama administration.
“I just feel like what the politicians and the governments have allowed to happen in Europe and for the past eight years here quite frankly, [I] can’t stand.”
According to Murphree, political correctness has been a key factor in creating an atmosphere where incidents such as this can occur.
“But I think political correctness is one of the reasons that these things happen, people are afraid they’re going to be called what I’ve been called, a racist or an Islamophobe or a hate-monger.”
Sheriff Murphree then reacted to criticisms of President Trump over efforts to build a wall along the border with Mexico.
“The president is called a racist because he wants to build a wall when it’s not a wall to keep people out, it’s a funnel to make sure that we can vet these folks to see who’s coming into our country, which we have every right to do.”