(CNN) – Sen. Rand Paul rushed to show support Tuesday for slain Navy sniper Chris Kyle after Paul's father, former Rep. Ron Paul, drew criticism for asserting a political opinion in a Tweet about Kyle's death.
"Chris Kyle was a hero like all Americans who don the uniform to defend our country. Our prayers are with his family during this tragic time," Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, told Breitbart.com.
The younger Paul's statement came after Ron Paul, the libertarian firebrand and three-time presidential candidate, wrote on Twitter that "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."
The longtime congressman from Texas is known for his staunch opposition to U.S. military involvement overseas, and while he doesn't describe himself as an "isolationist," he has won favor among libertarians for opposing military intervention in other countries.
Kyle, 38, had claimed a record number of sniper killings in Iraq and said in an interview that he had no regrets about the 160 people he shot during his five combat tours in Iraq.
The former SEAL with two silver stars was an outspoken defender of Second Amendment rights and also helped form a foundation that assisted military veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Kyle was killed along with another veteran, Chad Littlefield. The two had arrived at the shooting range together Saturday with the suspect, Eddie Ray Routh.
In a post to Facebook Monday night, Ron Paul elaborated more on his comment.
"As a veteran, I certainly recognize that this weekend's violence and killing of Chris Kyle were a tragic and sad event. My condolences and prayers go out to Mr. Kyle's family," the post stated. "Unconstitutional and unnecessary wars have endless unintended consequences. A policy of non-violence, as Christ preached, would have prevented this and similar tragedies. -REP"
CNN's Ashley Killough and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
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Chris Kyle was a hero like all Americans who don the uniform to defend our country
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Yeah. Okay. Too late.
Clean up on aisle five!
One thing I do know is had a Democrat or any progressive had said what Ron Paul tweeted the right wing would be tearing in to them and FoxNews would have an attack field day with it. And I doubt if Rand Paul would be defending it either.
When Ron Paul spouted off without thinking, we saw exactly why the Conservatives didn't support him for president. His son is trying to cover for dad.
There are many heroes and a thin line that separates them from being on the other end of the scale. Our wars have a huge price and this is a reminder of that. Mental illness and guns are big issues that are under scrutiny at this time and this event is a part of that discussion. Was the young man that did the shooting a criminal? Is PTSD considered mental illnesses? These gun
ron said the wrong words, now he trying to change it or what. Ron needs to think before he talk.
Ron Paul quotes a common moral axiom, one with possible christian roots, and gets blasted for it by various groups: some of whom were people who identify themselves christitan conservatives. Isn't that ironic? The christian conservatives' hypocrisy is absolutely mind boggling. They frequently take positions that are a better reflection of the weather than any sort of biblical principle.
Help the poor? No, you're on your own.
Respect the sick and elderly? Here's a voucher, and you're on your own.
Pay your taxes? I do not give unto Caesar. t's all mine.
Oh, the irony!
To continue with my last statement....these gun control issues are a part of every Americans life. Not just gun owners. They deserve all the attention they get. Every gun death needs to be brought into the spotlight. This will make an improvement to our current laws. It has to. Awareness brings change.
Aqua Bubba first thing in the morning is not my cup of tea.
Time for a coffee break while CNN cleans up on aisle five.
@AncientTexan
"Ron Paul spouted off without thinking"
BS – I totally agree with "Treating PTSD at a firing range doesn't make sense". Does it make sense to you Tex?Why didn't he just take the guy fishing?
@ Lynda Minnesota
Right there with you my friend. Wink!
Rand and his fellow Neo-Cons always pay lip service to "American Heros". Tragic as this event is, it is time to focus on a few facts- first, Rand hasn't served (as most Neo-Cons don't), but also that Paul is one of the special breed of Republicans who see Vets as "takers" and would strip them of their benefits, nevermind actually trying to deal with the burden war has placed on these people- likely evidenced by the murder at hand.
"Chris Kyle was a hero like all Americans who don the uniform to defend our country"
He was no hero – he did nothing to defend the United States – he just killed a bunch of people trying to defend THEIR own country which had been illegaly invaded.
@Dominican mama 4 Obama
LOL. Double Wink!
"Chris Kyle was a hero like all Americans who don the uniform to defend our country."
Ummm...ok. Then at least he was murdered by a fellow hero. What nonsense.
"These two, " Are poster child,and grandpa of the Right-Wing looney bin! Palin and Bachmans "Patriots" LOL!
The Pauls share the same problem of constantly putting their shoes into their mouths.
Ah, what a difference wanting to still be in office and win elections makes.
Rondroid shook off the grifter programming, but Randroid is still using the previous version of Grift 2.0.
No hero I've ever heard of bragged about their accomplishments or ran around telling everyone "I'm a hero", let alone bragged about how many people he killed. Bravado about kill numbers is not the mark of a hero. Kyle was a gun fetishist sicko. He obviously didn't deserve to die, but he, like so many other gun fetishists, exhibited a cavalier disregard for and recklessness towards actual, responsible gun safety measures when he brought a person suffering PTSD to a remote firing range to play with guns.
Plain & Simple raises a very legitimate point- lost on the Pauls- as of today 1,546 Americans are dead because of guns since Dec. 14, 2014, including the man mentioned in the story whom a fair percentage of the posters above consider to be a hero. The gun and gun control issue affects us all, not just gun owners-illegitimate, legitimate or otherwise. Real lives are being lost every day that affect real families, and cost us $billions in costs and losses. These are not all occuring in one city (as many have claimed), these deaths are occuring all across America (for some stats. Google "Gun Deaths in America Since Newtown)".
Something must be done. We can no longer simply explain away the violent deaths of so many and say-"this is as things are" and leave it at that.
Darwin scores on the conservatives yet again...
Who cares what Rant Paul says? Just another one-and-done wingnut who will be back at his laser eye surgery practice after the 2016 election.
how many so called criminals would not be criminals -if they never picked up a gun. don,t take much to be a hero in america any more–shoot a few unarmes sheep herders from a half mile away can put you on the road
"Real lives are being lost every day that affect real families"
Yeah, but it's mostly minority families, so white conservative rural Amurikans in Guncultureville aren't terribly concerned with stopping what they see as "self-culling" that ultimately benefits their "team." "If you can't get them to self-deport (or at least prevent them from voting),then keep 'em poor, unemployed and without options or hope and then give them guns."
Ancient Texan
When Ron Paul spouted off without thinking, we saw exactly why the Conservatives didn't support him for president. His son is trying to cover for dad.
_____________________________
No, you guys just supported a flip-flopping panderer.
Just think, you could be complaining about PRESIDENT Ron Paul by now.
Such is life, huh?