Yahoo News Piers Morgan: Thousands Want Him Deported
Thousands of Americans have signed a petition calling for British CNN host Piers Morgan to be deported over his criticism of the country's gun laws.
By noon on Christmas Eve, the petition - which is posted on the White House website - had garnered more than 31,000 signatures, surpassing the 25,000 required to get a response from the US government.
Mr Morgan tweeted about the petition: "If I do get deported from America for wanting fewer gun murders, are there any other countries that will have me?"
The outspoken former Daily Mirror editor has called for tighter gun control measures in the wake of the December 14 massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
On Tuesday, he interviewed Gun Owners of America executive director Larry Pratt, and appeared incredulous when Mr Pratt suggested more weapons were a credible solution.
"You're an unbelievably stupid man, aren't you?" Morgan asked during the heated debate.
"You have absolutely no coherent argument. You don't actually give a damn about the gun murder rate in America."
Following the interview, a Texas journalist posted a petition on the White House website alleging Morgan "is engaged in a hostile attack against the US Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment".
"We demand that Mr Morgan be deported immediately for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights and for exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens," the petition says.
Many Americans follow a literal interpretation of the Second Amendment, which enshrines the "right to bear arms" in the US Constitution.
Mr Morgan insists America can outlaw military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines without infringing on people's constitutional rights, and says he has no quarrel with the Second Amendment.
A defiant Mr Morgan refused to back down from his position.
"Ironic US gun rights campaign to deport me for 'attacking Second Amendment rights' - is my opinion not protected under 1st Amendment rights?" he posted earlier on his Twitter feed, referring to freedom of speech provisions.
