Following the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, the discussion over gun control has gripped the nation and dominated both the government and the media. After making comments on to increase gun control, CNN host and British national Piers Morgan found himself the topic of a White House petition to deport him.
The petition, which secured the 25,000 signatures needed for a response from the White House, has garnered more than 100,000 signatures. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney presented an official response from the White House on Wednesday.
The response, entitled "When Discussing the Second Amendment, Keep the First in Mind Too," argued that Morgan was protected by the First Amendment and could not be deported for expressing his opinions.
It read: "Let's not let arguments over the Constitution's Second Amendment violate the spirit of its First. President Obama believes that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. However, the Constitution not only guarantees an individual right to bear arms, but also enshrines the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press-fundamental principles that are essential to our democracy."
The petition response continued, "Americans may disagree on matters of public policy and express those disagreements vigorously, but no one should be punished by the government simply because he or she expressed a view on the Second Amendment-or any other matter of public concern."
According to British newspaper the Guardian, Morgan offered to deport himself back to his home country following the petition. In a column in the British newspaper the Mail, Morgan wrote, "Although I love the country as a second home and one that has treated me incredibly well, I would, as a concerned parent first-and latterly, of a one-year-old daughter who may attend an American elementary school like Sandy Hook in three years' time-seriously consider deporting myself."
Just two days before the White House's response to the deportation petition, Morgan interviewed the petition's co-writer Alex Jones in what resulted to be a fiery discussion that had since gone viral. During the exchange, Jones, a radio show host and known conspiracy theorist, warned Morgan that, "1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms!"
Following the interview, Morgan told CNN that the interview was "terrifying" at points. "I can't think of a better advertisement for gun control than Alex Jones' interview last night," Morgan said on Tuesday. "It was startling, it was terrifying in parts, it was completely deluded. It was based on a premise of making Americans so fearful that they all rush out to buy even more guns...the kind of twisted way that he turned everything into this assault on the Second Amendment is exactly what the gun rights lobby people do."