American Idol Alum, Glee Stars, and More Respond to Connecticut School Tragedy

By On 12/14/2012 · 194 Comments · In American Idol, Glee, The Voice, X Factor

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Read today’s  twitter responses to today’s tragic events in Newton Connecticut from Glee stars and  alums from American Idol, X Factor and The Voice

I’m going to start off with The Voice, because Blake Shelton is getting his butt kicked for his pro-gun reaction: The “stand guard and defend” tweet has since been deleted.  Oh Blake.

Blake Shelton: The killing of defenseless people and innocent children. I’m sad and sickened. This is why we all should be prepared to defend and guard. Stand strong and stand united everyone… We are Americans and we are better than this. What a sad sad disgusting day this is…My heart is so heavy right now… I can’t shake it off.

Javier Colon: My heart is heavy w/the news of the Newtown school shooting in my home state. So senseless! Sending prayers to all those families. WTF is wrong w/people!? Why on earth would someone harm innocent kids! Makes me fucking FURIOUS as a father. Heart goes out to those parents.

Nakia: Much love and many prayers to Newtown, CT Media should NOT be interviewing the children at that school today. They should be with their families and talking with counselors.

Dia Frampton: woke up to a pretty day in LA & then heard about the Newtown shooting. I feel sick. 27 dead, 18 children…more wounded. I don’t understand

American Idol alum

Danny Gokey: I think its time we reinstate God & Prayer back into our schools and in our country.

Alex Trugman responds to Danny: @dannygokey Lack of prayer in school is not what leads to this sort of thing. People can have morality without institutionalized religion

And Adam Lambert’s brother, Neil Lambert, weighs in!: yes yes, .@dannygokey no one has ever killed in the name of God you fucking moron.

Jessica Sanchez: My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by the tragedy in Newtown!! :(

Phillip Phillips: My prayers and thoughts go out to the families who lost their loved ones today. Such a heart breaking event. Need more love and peace

Heejun Han: 5am here in korea..prayers goes out to victims of tragedy…

Erika Van Pelt: We will never rid the world of cruel and evil human beings, but our power will always come from pulling together when the skies are dark.

Hollie Cavanagh: My heart is broken for all the victims and their families of the Connecticut shooting, you will be in my prayers through this horrific time

Kris Allen: It’s really sad to see what happened in CT today. My prayers go out for you.

Kevin Covais: So we have reached the point where kids can’t be safe at school? What the hell is wrong with people? Just so sickening.

Anthony Fedorov: Praying for all those involved with this horrible shooting in CT…

Jason Castro: Sometimes, words are not enough… Praying for the families in CT.

Blake Lewis: Today is a sad day. My heart goes out to all victims families in The Connecticut shooting. I can’t believe this has happened again.

Todrick Hall: Let us all stop thinking about how cute we look in our instagram pics for one moment, & pray for the families who lost their children today

Katharine McPhee: I’m so saddened over the shootings in CT. In light of such an evil act, #PrayForNewton.

Constantine Maroulis: I’m jus gettin the news about this horrible tragedy.. Malena will be starting school in a couple of years. Makes me cringe. #guncontrol

Chris Richardson: My heart pours out to the families who lost their children today too such a senseless and selfish act of violence. I’m truly saddened

Diana DeGarmo: Seeing the devastating news about Newton, CT. It’s so hard to comprehend. I cannot pray enough for those children & families.

Justin Guarini: #guncontrol

Tim Urban: Unbelievably heartbroken for the people in Newtown Connecticut. 26 people killed in a horrible tragedy. #PrayForNewtown

Matt Giraud: So so sad for these kids and staff at this school shooting in Connecticut. An elementary school?!?! So angry. It’s a new low. Wow…

Brandon Rogers: My heart goes out to all the families in CT. People can truly be horrible to each other. So many young lives cut short.

Stefano Langone: Wow, just heard about the school shootings… God be with everyone involved and their families. A true tragedy..

Jordin Sparks: Those precious children…I will never understand the evil in this world. On my knees praying for those families. I am in tears.

Brooke White: There’re days that you want to lock the door and hide under the bed with your family. This world is as broken as it is beautiful.

RJ Helton: Sending a prayer to the families and victims of the elementary shooting this morning in Connecticut. Devastating.

Katie Stevens: Im devastated to hear of the shooting at a Newtown Elementary this morning. Praying for the poor children and families affected by this evil. Nothing justifies this. Nothing. No mental imbalance… This is just pure evil. Love each other people, take care of one another. #prayforCT…We need to start at home. End the violence. Require people to get help if they have violent tendencies or have lost hold of reality.

Taylor Hicks: Praying for the families and victims in Connecticut.

Anthony Fedorov: Another school shooting?! What the f**k is going on with our country???!!!!!!! This is ridiculous!!!!!!! People are fu****g crazy man!!!

Alex Trugman: When it’s easier to get a gun than it is to vote, something is extremely fucked up. This should not be a controversial stance.

Kimberley Locke: OMG another school shooting?! This time in CT! What is wrong with people?! #horrified #cnn

Mandisa: Got off the bus & saw about the #CTshooting. Praying Is. 66:12 over CT. “God’s message: As a mother comforts her child,so I’ll comfort you.”

Bucky Covington: Thoughts and prayers to the victims and survivors in the CT tragedy… such horrible news.

Lee DeWyze: I’m sick to my stomach over the shooting.The victims, the children, their families.. I can’t even imagine what they’re going through… My prayers, and all of our thoughts and prayers should be with them, and to what the families will have to go through, and for the lives..That were lost. Senseless, and horrible. My heart goes out to all those families. Talk to you later guys.

Alexis Grace: ’m so disturbed by what’s happened today in CT. My daughter is the same age as those children. I wish there was something I could do.

Pia Toscano: Children are so innocent & loving.. How could anyone hurt them, let alone take away their lives.. So disappointed in the world we live in.

Carrie Underwood: All my thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies go out to the families in CT dealing with this tragedy. There are no words…

Jennifer Hudson: Yal, we need to pray! This can’t keep happening . My mama always said ” if u think you’ve seen it all just keep on living”.

Melinda Doolittle: Sitting here in shock, disbelief and tears as I read about those babies in Connecticut. I just don’t get it. Praying for everyone affected.

Michael Sarver: Lost my breath today hearing of the school shooting and those babies lives cut so short. Can’t wait to hug my babies! I feel angry inside to be honest! Not that I can do anything but geez! I wish the news wouldn’t even say the shooters name. Who cares what his name is. What about the names of those babies instead!?!

Lauren Alaina: Sending out lots of prayers to the families involved in the Newton Elementary School tragedy. My heart goes out to you. #trustinGod

David Cook: Just now seeing the news out of CT. Absolutely gut-wrenching. My thoughts and sympathies go out to all those impacted.

Phil Stacey: Just heard about the shooting in CT. This is the single most horrible tragedy of our time. God help us. Why children? Worse than terrorism.

Clay Aiken: Prayers for those affected by today’s horrific events. My heart hurts for the parents! Heaven is too crowded with new angels today. Let’s encourage the media to not speak the name of the demon involved in today’s CT shooting. He deserves no recognition!

Michael Lynche: Inconceivable what happened in Conn. today. Praying for those sweet innocent souls and their families tonight.

Chris Daughtry: I can’t believe what I’m seeing on the news. I’m devastated. Truly devastated. My heart is broken and goes out to the families and children involved.

Ace Young: My heart goes out to the families that are hurt directly from the events that took place today. #SandyHookElementary

Adam Lambert: Sending energy to the families who are suffering this horrible tragedy…

Elliott Yamin: #SandyHookElementary how many more kids in schools need 2 die b4 the lawmakers in the U.S wake up?…this is beyond tragic…no words!

Naima Adedapo:    My heart truly hurts 4 the children & families that fell prey 2 1 of the most vicious acts of crime 1 could think of ????. #Praying #Newtown

Bo Bice:  I’m stunned to hear of the tragedy in CT. My prayers are with all the families. God Bless you all.

Lacey Brown: I’m so saddened to hear about the Elementary School shooting just now. Praying for the families of this terrible event. My heart is so heavy.

Crystal Bowersox tweets: Had a bit of an emotional meltdown today. So sad about the madness.. I can’t even wrap my brain around it….If only mental health services were easier to get than guns….

Andrew Garcia: #PrayforNewton

Aaron Kelly: My deepest sympathy and prayers to the families and those lost in Connecticut

Didi Benami: Just heard about school shootings in Connecticut :*( all my love and prayers to everyone affected by this awful tragedy… Bless your souls

Jacob Lusk: Kiss your family and hold them tight. It could have been you. #prayfornewtown

James Durbin: What happened today is horrific & heartbreaking..I’m as shocked as anyone. My heart goes out to everyone affected #PrayForNewtown

Glee stars

Harry Shum Jr.: Praying for Sandy Hook, Newtown CT. There is no reason for this to ever happen. So sad and angry… Stop interviewing children for ratings.

Chris Colfer: It’s one of those days you wake up from a nightmare to an even scarier reality. When will prevention outweigh politics?

Damian McGinty: Sickening news about Connecticut. So sad. How it happened can’t be justified and something has to be done. The world is a scary place.

Diana Agron: Just hearing news of the Sandy Hook shooting. This is tragic & needs to stop. My heart goes out to all of those involved. #guncontrol

Amber Riley: Sitting here dumbfounded. Really an elementary school? Innocent children with no way to defend or protect themselves. What breed of scum…

Lea Michele: There are no words to express the sadness of this unthinkable tragedy. Sending my prayers to the families in Newton CT.

Kevin McHale: No words, this is a horrific tragedy. Thoughts are with all the children, parents & teachers.

Jenna Ushkowitz: My heart goes out to all the Families and children affected by the CT shooting. When will the violence end?

Samuel Larsen: It kills me to hear of the tragedy in CT. My prayers are with all of you.

Blake Jenner: All of my heart and prayers go out to all of the families of this involved in the shooting in Connecticut. So terrible. So sad.

Jacob Artist: Completely speechless. My heart goes out to all the people affected by this horrific tragedy. #PrayForNewton

Naya Rivera: This school shooting is making me sick to my stomach. My heart goes out to all of the families who lost precious little angels.

X Factor Alums

Demi Lovato: My heart is absolutely broken after hearing about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school.. Wow.. So terrible. Just in shock. WHAT is wrong with this world sometimes? Right before Christmas? My thoughts and prayers go out to Newton, CT

Melanie Amaro: Church ?? School ?? Next it will be our homes ! The enemy is stepping out and trying our faith ! How can someone be soo evil ??? The enemy is out to do one thing steal, destroy and KILL!!! I pray for this nation again today !! Our father who art in heaven ! I ask that you comfort the hearts of the parents and families of this terrible tragedy! If the enemy could be soo bold and attack the innocent…. Our children !! Oh God, I cry out and beg and plead to you for this nation

Rachel Crow: #PrayForNewton http://instagr.am/p/TOxIITkWSI/

Britney Spears: My heart is with the children and families of Connecticut today… #PrayForNewton

 
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  • iluvai

    That’s a little violent? …  I don’t want anyone to be shot. No one.

  • songsungblue

    I think you’re taking me a bit literally. It was actually a metaphor. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GIRFMNI2ELGND3HUAJV7KXZGUQ Bobo Arcjoe

    I better go out and buy me another gun and more ammo before they make it illegal to buy guns. 

  • blackberryharvest

    Uhh, I don’t even know what to say about this.

  • songsungblue

    Isn’t it a little harsh to say there’s no difference between making a comment and someone who massacred children?  I realize this is the internets, but – okay – I’ll say it again. I’m just upset with the attitude that guns are okay. IMO, they aren’t.  And I’ve known more people who have guns who have hurt themselves inadvertently – obviously, I don’t want anyone actually killed.  The idea that there is a right to bear arms that has evolved from a musket to assault rifles is – again, JMO – ridiculous and creating a lot of harm. That’s all. 

  • blackberryharvest

    I don’t think its wrong to own a gun when you want to defend your family or yourself. I have read some stories about kids who were home alone and shot intruders in their homes. Who knows what the intruders could have done to those kids if they couldn’t defend themselves. Here are the recent stories/examples of both kids and adults:

    http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10553140/

    http://abcnews.go.com/US/kendra-st-clair-oklahoma-girl-12-shoots-intruder/story?id=17524438

    http://www.wfaa.com/news/crime/Grand-Prairie-resident-shoots-home-invader-while-on-911-call-181079611.html

    http://www.theblaze.com/stories/alabama-woman-shoots-home-intruder-to-protect-herself-and-her-ax-and-knife-wielding-daughters/

  • BonnieDee

    Wishing death on much of the country because of their beliefs is NOT a metaphor.  It’s sick.  

  • http://twitter.com/Miztig Miz

    When I was tutoring a few years ago, the religions of the world was part of the curriculum. It comes under the heading of World History. It is fascinating to learn just how much in common our religions have to each other. It is a shame that the good in religion is not what is processed and retained.

  • suenigma

    chilljsaid “Atheists I know as a rule do blame every evil known to man on religion – particularly war.”

    As someone else said, you must know a small circle of atheists. LOL. I myself am an atheist, as are many of my friends – to the best of my knowledge, none of us feel the way you describe.

    I have a great deal of respect and regard for organized religion. I send my children to church camp every summer, and as a family we try to attend church at least once a month. I would never, ever try to dissuade my children from believing in God. Religious belief is a blessing and a comfort, and the sense of community that belonging to a church provides is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Particularly at times like this.

  • chillj

    Most atheist friends of mine are lapsed Catholics who often tell me I can not be a Christian because of certain beliefs  I don’t find necessary:  i.e.. virgin birth, ascension, etc.  So, my circle of reference is admittedly narrow, and possibly these folks are unduly rigid – and intolerant.  Whenever these people discuss religion, they almost always neglect to mention the mainstream Protestantism of my youth,  which was often very progressive and absolutely always tolerant, with little dogmatism, emphasizing the New Testament and kindness over the bloody gore of the Old Testament.

    Many people are, however, being exposed to religion on religion sites like the one on the Huffington Post.  The atheists posting are advocates – just cruel, dogmatic and intrusive.  People don’t have faith for no reason; they have it to help deal with and explain pain and grief.  Telling them god is fantasy and a Santa Claus is a valid position, but not one to yell into a struggling crowd.  Mean is mean, no matter who does it and they will not allow anyone to converse without attack.

    I admire what you are doing with your children re: religion.  I raised my son with none, and at thirteen he expressed a need for it as part of a personal identity.  My son has no sense of the differences in different Christian theology, he is horribly woefully ignorant and it shows.  .  Not exposing my child to religion was the biggest mistake I made raising him; it is not critical in bringing up a good person, but it makes the shaky ground of life more solid.  

  • chillj

    Not to mention the idealism in the great religious art.  You can not study art without colliding with religion and I wonder about a world without it.

  • songsungblue

    BonnieDee, we are arguing a BLOG COMMENT. No one is waving a gun. If you don’t agree with my main point, you don’t agree.  But where did I say death?  I should have said shot in the big toe. ;)  The point is the same – guns = not okay.  Legal rights = need to be addressed again.  That is all.  

  • songsungblue

    I guess I do think it’s wrong.  I don’t think any guns belong in any homes, ever. But that’s my opinion. 

  • KatMyers

    As a non-American, with no real vested interest in the debate on guns and the 2nd amendment, I have read this thread with great interest.  I suspect that the views expressed here are fairly representative of the divide of attitudes and beliefs of Americans in general.  I find it interesting to see how neither logic nor numbers /statistics sway opinion.  If you believe in greater gun control, no amount of argument will sway you.  Conversely, if you believe in the second amendment, no amount of argument will sway you either.  I do wonder however, if a gun related death in the family would change the mindset of a pro-gun person.  Does the father who accidentally shot and killed his 7 year old son still believe guns should be readily available?  I hope none of us ever have a change of heart occur in this fashion.

    Facebook is a wonderful thing.  My timeline shows a picture memorial of the Sandy Hook victims.  How very heartbreaking to look at those innocent faces and know that they will never have the opportunities that those of us who are posting here today have had.  Ironically, immediately above is a poster with the following caption:

    “If more sane people were armed, the crazy people would get off fewer shots.  Support the 2nd amendment.”

    Colour me anti-gun, but I fail to see the logic in that poster, I really do.  Giving guns to teachers, administrators, everyone that would mean fewer deaths?  Or maybe it would just provide freer access to the crazies.  And of course, no teacher, principal or other school official has mental problems, right?  So it’s not like they would do something like Adam Lanza did, right?  So arming school officials would stop the extent of carnage seen in Sandy Hook, right?  In case you are confused, yes the last 3 sentences should be read with the appropriate degree of sarcasm.

    To anyone that argues criminals will always find a way to procure weaponry, I wholeheartedly agree.  To anyone that says, violence is not one-dimensional and poverty, education, lifestyle and/or mental illness among other important factors have a bearing, again I couldn’t agree more.  But I fail to see or understand how it can be argued that making it more difficult to procure weaponry will not reduce gun violence.  If a gun were not available without full background check, training, registry and any other safeguards in place with gun control, fewer people would have them.  Fewer people would reach for them in the heat of anger.  Fewer people would discharge them accidentally.  I could go on but I think you get the drift.  If Adam Lanza’s mother had no guns, I wonder if he might still have been able to get one.  From what I’ve heard, he did try to buy one but was uanble to do so.

    As for the 2nd amendment, well it states:

    “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”

    As a person who has not been born and raised in the American culture, I read that to say that arming oneself as part of the forces and to protect the security of the state, that right shall not be infringed.  I know that is not how the courts have interpreted it.  I see that the Chicago ban on guns has just been reversed which leads me to the following conclusions:

    1)  While the weapons industry continues to be a multi-billion dollar industry, it will take a gun-control leaning devil may care government and court ruling to change the interpretation of the 2nd amendment;

    2) Until the majority of US citizens can agree on the issue and any changes that may be needed to the 2nd amendment to bring it into the 21st century, things will stay as they are;

    3) Given the proliferation of weapons in the US, short of government confiscation, even gun control will not provide any reduction in gun violence in the short term, allowing the pro-gun lobby an argument that control does not alleviate gun violence (BTW, where is the NRA? – they have been very visible by their silence – not even a word of condolence since the carnage);

    4)  Until the stigma related to mental illness continues AND there is not ready access to mental health services (meaning everyone can access regardless of insurance or means), those with mental illness will continue to not receive the treatment they need and ultimately may snap, as Adam did.

    R.I.P. little angels.  And to the survivors, I am saddened beyond words at how your innocence has been destroyed far too early.  May you find comfort in the love of your family.

  • http://twitter.com/alienlifeform2 Diablo

    Since the discussion in this thread is more lively than in the other one, let me bring over one comment/quote:

    Christopher Auyeung 12/14/2012 07:59 PM 
    A powerful quote by Roger Ebert:

    ?’Let me tell you a story. The day after Columbine, I was interviewed for the Tom Brokaw news program. The reporter had been assigned a theory and was seeking sound bites to support it. “Wouldn’t you say,” she asked, “that killings like this are influenced by violent movies?” No, I said, I wouldn’t say that. “But what about ‘Basketball Diaries’?” she asked. “Doesn’t that have a scene of a boy walking into a school with a machine gun?” The obscure 1995 Leonardo Di Caprio movie did indeed have a brief fantasy scene of that nature, I said, but the movie failed at the box office (it grossed only $2.5 million), and it’s unlikely the Columbine killers saw it.The reporter looked disappointed, so I offered her my theory. “Events like this,” I said, “if they are influenced by anything, are influenced by news programs like your own. When an unbalanced kid walks into a school and starts shooting, it becomes a major media event. Cable news drops ordinary programming and goes around the clock with it. The story is assigned a logo and a theme song; these two kids were packaged as the Trench Coat Mafia. The message is clear to other disturbed kids around the country: If I shoot up my school, I can be famous. The TV will talk about nothing else but me. Experts will try to figure out what I was thinking. The kids and teachers at school will see they shouldn’t have messed with me. I’ll go out in a blaze of glory.”

    In short, I said, events like Columbine are influenced far less by violent movies than by CNN, the NBC Nightly News and all the other news media, who glorify the killers in the guise of “explaining” them. I commended the policy at the Sun-Times, where our editor said the paper would no longer feature school killings on Page 1. The reporter thanked me and turned off the camera. Of course the interview was never used. They found plenty of talking heads to condemn violent movies, and everybody was happy.’

    (Rammstein have even made a powerful song/video about it)

    Our culture glorifies violence, there’s no question about it. What movies can get away with without earning the R rating is astonishing. The 24/7 news coverage of violent events amplifies the phenomenon. People become slowly accustomed to the existence of extreme violence, then deadened to it. We’re not the only ones, what people see in movie theaters, video games and news is roughly the same in all developed countries. One thing that differentiates the US from  others, though, is the fact that weapons are as commonplace as fishing rods. Their very existence in stores and homes contributes to the culture of violence. We’re in the same homicide rate bracket as economically (and possibly socially)  unstable former Soviet republics like Ukraine and Belarus instead of “advanced” countries like UK and France (whose homicide rate is about 4 times lower) or Japan.

    If we start working on it now, introducing new laws, perhaps in 50 years schools won’t be places of danger. If we do nothing, the problem will escalate.

  • iani

    I think that guns make it a lot easier for people to commit murder, just
    as possessing weapons of mass destruction make it easier for one
    country to wipe out another country.

    We’re not the only ones, what people see in movie theaters, video games
    and news is roughly the same in all developed countries. One thing that
    differentiates the US from  others, though, is the fact that weapons are
    as commonplace as fishing rods. Their very existence in stores and
    homes contributes to the culture of violence.

    This could be an endless debate and pretty touchy somehow about weapons, gun-control, mental health, religion, what has been discussed here…From my personal experience and POV, I was born and raised with the government’s mentality that you should be prepared to protect yourself and your country in case of war, nothing more than that and I was involved since in HS in different kind of shooting drills, maybe more than 5x during of a 10 year period of time. Nothing to be prepared as a regular civilian like “be careful you might be surrounded by mentally challenged people, criminals,  protect yourself for some unfortunate situations”, no legal access to guns/weapons except your kitchen or backyard tools, it was all about what the government wanted. Maybe in US the self protection as individuals and accessibility to guns has been developed not from “yesterday”, but little by little culturally during a long process as a different kind of life development. I was lucky enough to be born and live in general “peace”, but from generation to generation it was transmitted(not really in the last 30 years or so) that kind of  life distress as “tomorrow it might be another war”. And talking about the easy access to guns and how easy they can be used I was always fascinated by the Johnny Cash lyrics in one of his song:

    When I was just a baby my mama told me. Son,
    Always be a good boy, don’t ever play with guns.
    But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die
    When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry..

  • HKfan

    I agree with this quote….everyone will remember this guys name, but no one will remember the victims.

    as to watching films being the cause of events like this, the rest of the world watches the same movies as the people in the US, and mass shootings like this are extemely rare, I would suspect for this simple reason that most other countries have strict gun laws.

  • iluvai

    I think people are more alike than not. :)

  • http://MJO judes

    Kat Myers I agree wholeheartedly with what you said. I’m not American either. I would love there to be a grassroots uprising confronting the congress to force them to do something about semi & automatic weapons [this right to fight was made way back in the 1700's when there were shotguns that you had to reload.] No suburban family needs weapons that fire 500 bullets in a row. These weapons are what were banned in Australia after our last massacre in the 1990′s -with a period of amnesty to return them afterwards.We haven’t had a mass tragedy since.
    My heart goes out to all the families who have lost a loved one -especially the little 6 & 7 years olds- just the age I teach .
     I also give kudos to the Dad who lost a daughter who gave a thought to the shooters family & said he was praying for them. How selfless when he is also mourning.

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