Johnny Galecki Says People Were ‘Outraged’ by His Response to Florida Shooting

“I have no interest in wasting my time trying to convince you to be a more evolved human being,” “The Big Bang Theory” star says of those who have unfollowed him

Johnny Galecki
Johnny Galecki

Johnny Galecki apparently made some enemies with his response to Wednesday’s school shooting.

“The Big Bang Theory” star took to Instagram on Friday to say that many people were “outraged and threatened and angered” by his call for change after the Florida high school shooting that left 17 people dead.

“In my last couple of posts, I’ve not suggested a single idea for new gun laws or background checks or even mental illness issues after the latest school murders in Florida. I only suggested change. And yet many folks were outraged and threatened and angered by only that,” the actor wrote.

According to Galecki, some critics of his response unfollowed his account, which is “fine” with him, while others suggested he should pack his bags, which was less fine with the actor.

“REALLY? You feel there’s zero change needed?” Galecki wrote. “You hate and want me out of the country and belittle my opinion after three generations of my fathers served and gave their lives because I suggest it’s not shameful to maybe explore taking a page from another country where their children haven’t been mass murdered in a school shooting in over 20 years?”

Ultimately, Galecki had two words for those that had unfollowed him on social media: “good riddance.”

“At this point I say to the unfollowers, good riddance. I’m sorry that the suggestion of a conversation frightened you off. You have no interest in having any conversation and I have no interest in wasting my time trying to convince you to be a more evolved human being,” Galecki wrote. “Those of you that will stay, despite our shared heartbreak at times, I plead with you to find energy to rise and dissent and make change.”

On Wednesday, after news of the deadly shooting broke, Galecki took politicians in the U.S. to task, writing on Instagram that it was time to make a change and that “saying you’re sorry isn’t enough.”

“In 1929, four professional mobsters used four guns to kill seven people and it has since been known as the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre,” Galecki wrote Wednesday. “Today, a lone, disturbed teenager killed 17 people with a single weapon. To the president, Congress and our Senators — a sentiment you may have heard on previous Valentine’s Days for differing reasons — Sometimes saying you’re sorry isn’t enough, you need to make changes.”

In my last couple of posts, I’ve not suggested a single idea for new gun laws or background checks or even mental illness issues after the latest school murders in Florida. I only suggested change. And yet many folks were outraged and threatened and angered by only that. They unfollowed my account (fine). Or remained to convince me to #packyourbags REALLY? You feel there’s zero change needed? You hate and want me out of the country and belittle my opinion after three generations of my fathers served and gave their lives because I suggest it’s not shameful to maybe explore taking a page from another country where their children haven’t been mass murdered in a school shooting in over 20 years? My gentle nudge towards thinking this way is void because I am part of #hollywoodhypocrisy For influencing this heinous disease when I’ve touched one gun in one comedic film in 35 years of work and other countries have access to that same entertainment and don’t struggle with the same violence we do here? At this point I say to the unfollowers, good riddance. I’m sorry that the suggestion of a conversation frightened you off. You have no interest in having any conversation and I have no interest in wasting my time trying to convince you to be a more evolved human being. Those of you that will stay, despite our shared heartbreak at times, I plead with you to find energy to rise and dissent and make change. I share this wee video from last year. My Unlikely Pal and I, @randyhouser put on a festival, something neither of us had ever done before and we did so in 70-something hours. We’d hoped 1,500 people might show and give cash out of their pockets to charity Saint Jude. 7,000+ hardworking people showed and gave. You can make change. Much more easily than you may think. You can not #packyourbags and stay and make our homeland all your previous generations fought for by what we now call dissent. It’s not only our right but our responsibility. I’m always willing to listen to the other side of the argument. And fine tune my barometer of fairness. And fight for it loudly. The others can run.

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