Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is being lit up online for making fun of a viral video of a woman’s mental health episode on an airplane — just months after he was hospitalized for clinical depression.
As the saying goes, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
Fetterman, who spent six weeks at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center this year for clinical depression, missed the memo.
In an attempt to take a shot at Republican 2024 Senate candidate David McCormick, Fetterman (or someone running his X account) used viral footage from a low moment of a woman named Tiffany Gomas.
Last month, Gomas created a stir aboard an American Airlines flight when she became emotional, expressed fears something was wrong with the aircraft and notoriously said one of her fellow passengers was “not real.”
Gomas has apologized for the incident, which has made her into a meme, and taken accountability while calling for more mental health awareness.
On Sunday, she spoke at length about the July 2 incident on Instagram and also commented, “This experience has been life-altering and I hope to do good from it and promote positive mental health.”
View this post on Instagram
Monday, Fetterman’s account posted an altered version of the Gomas video, which was used to imply McCormick is not a “real” Pennsylvanian.
To call the clip “below the belt” would be an understatement.
https://t.co/CBtNJ9ZFgD pic.twitter.com/d1ETNXmNDD
— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) August 14, 2023
Fetterman, whose mental and physical health issues are well-documented, did not comment on why he chose to use the lowest moment of Gomas’ life in order to try to raise money for Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, who McCormick is challenging.
Anyway, donate to @Bob_Casey to keep a true Pennsylvanian in the Senate: https://t.co/tCyZjtWGeT
— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) August 14, 2023
But the senator was flamed for doing so:
Watching @JohnFetterman using someone else’s mental health issues for a joke just a few months after coming back from his own “recovery” says everything you need to know about him & his team. https://t.co/KqhOuqvD9y
— Ryan S. Powers (@RyanSPowers) August 14, 2023
She was very relatable talking just yesterday about her mental health issues and how painful these meme uses are to her – but sure go off queen?
— Joe Colangelo (@Itsjoeco) August 14, 2023
As someone who recently had mental health issues, you should be more sympathetic to her.
— Jay in Philly (@jay_vaccaro) August 14, 2023
Hey, this was a woman having a mental breakdown. I prefer you over the republican’s, but let’s NOT make fun of a woman having a mental breakdown. That’s NOT good actually.
— Anna (@MaybeAnnatar) August 14, 2023
Did you not hear her response? She’s having a mental breakdown and now this video has made her mental health worse! And now here you are, keeping the joke alive. Way to back someone with a mental health issue.
— Marcus Aurelius II (@AntiHarryJ) August 14, 2023
Out of anyone you should understand how hurtful it is to use someone’s mental health crisis as a punchline.
— Chase Fitzgerald (@FitzinFlorida) August 14, 2023
Let’s not normalize the mocking of mental illness in memes. Just saying.
— Doug Greig ? (@douggreigYYC) August 14, 2023
Terrible. I support @SenBobCasey but I dislike seeing someone’s mental health issue used to score cheap points. Your social media team should know better.
— Team Teddy Pa (@TeamTeddyinPA) August 14, 2023
As far as glass houses go, Fetterman inhabits a pretty big one here. In addition to suffering from communication issues following a stroke last year, he was admitted to a hospital in February and spent more than a month there being treated for depression.
A lot of people showed him a lot of grace.
Perhaps he should remember that the next time he considers using a woman’s mental health issues in order to raise money.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
