Paul Gallant, a talk show host for 710 ESPN in Seattle who previously mocked President Trump for suggesting rioters in the city were violent, is now looking to purchase a gun for his own protection.
Gallant’s transformation begins with a tweet by the President who referenced Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. Durkan had suggested anarchists taking over several blocks in the city were simply part of “a block party atmosphere” and that it could be a “summer of love.”
“The terrorists burn and pillage our cities, and they think it is just wonderful, even the death,” Trump responded. “Must end this Seattle takeover now!”
Gallant responded with all the condescension you’d expect from an ill-informed ESPN host.
“Walked through it last night out of curiosity and saw no burning, pillaging, or deaths,” he wrote. “Chill dawg.”
Walked through it last night out of curiosity and saw no burning, pillaging, or deaths. Chill dawg
— Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) June 12, 2020
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Chill Dawg
Of course, we know that the zone occupied by anarchists eventually resulted in multiple murders, and police there were unable to respond to reports of other violent crimes.
But nothing quite changes your perspective like personal experience, and the rioters hit Gallant right at his home.
The radio personality came home to his apartment complex to find the Starbucks store connected to it had been torched.
“Moving through the Capitol Hill, hitting a Starbucks,” Mike Baker of the New York Times reported. “Smoke is coming out the window and people are now calling for the residents above to evacuate.”
Worse, Gallant was told to avoid his apartment for fears of an explosive device.
Came home to my apartment complex. The Starbucks underneath has been destroyed, and cops are telling us to stay away in case something explosive is inside. pic.twitter.com/OOJgzUmusk
— Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) July 25, 2020
Needs a Firearm
The ESPN reporter noted that there had been a separate fire set just blocks away from him and this had prompted him and his cat to flee the area.
“Unrelated, there’s a fire a few blocks from me which had me freaked out when I saw it from the highway,” he tweeted. “Zero clue what’s going on, but the cat and I are [getting the f***] out.”
“I feel like I need to buy a firearm, because clearly this is going to keep happening,” Gallant continued. “Enough is enough. It looks like a block party down the street from me. Really angry right now.”
Life comes at you fast. pic.twitter.com/tSXyYBSIfu
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 26, 2020
He went on to say he had a right “to adapt and evolve” his opinions on the matter based on new information.
“Seemed harmless,” tweeted Gallant. “Over the last few weeks there’s been a lot of changes on that front that have swayed my perception.”
That, and the fact that it affected him personally. If only he had shown such concern for others who were seeing their businesses and homes destroyed by the same criminals President Trump wanted to stop.
