David Hogg and Cameron Kasky

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Fellow Parkland shooting survivor calls out David Hogg for pillow ‘grift’

'I spent so much time promising people this wasn’t going to turn into a cash grab.'

 

Mikael Thalen

Tech

Posted on Feb 10, 2021   Updated on Feb 10, 2021, 4:48 pm CST

Parkland school shooting survivor Cameron Kasky is calling out what he believes to be a “cash grab” from fellow shooting survivor David Hogg.

Arguably the most prominent and outspoken gun control activist of the group, Hogg launched the “Good Pillow” company earlier this week in an attempt to take on the infamous pillow salesman and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell.

Lindell, who for years has been the face of the “My Pillow” company, has become an increasingly controversial figure for his support of false election fraud claims as well as his support for former President Donald Trump.

Alongside progressive activist and popular Twitter user William LeGate, Hogg has spent the past several days promoting his pillow endeavor to mixed reviews.

But now, the activist’s biggest critic appears to be Kasky, who let his displeasure be known in a series of tweets in which he called the venture nothing more than a “grift.”

“To those of you who marched, donated, lobbied, and called for change…” Kasky said. “I’m so sorry this is what it turned into. This is embarrassing.

Hogg had been thrust back into the spotlight this month after old footage of conspiracy theorist-turned-Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) harassing the young activist resurfaced online.

Kasky has suggested that Hogg is merely attempting to cash in on his renewed fame.

“Credit where credit is due, if I had a ton of good press and attention for getting harassed by a certified loony toon, I’d probably try to make some money off of it too!” Kasky said.

But some progressive supporters are not upset at Kasky and have accused him of being jealous of Hogg’s company.

“To those of you claiming I’m ‘jealous’ about the pillow grift, I was actually offered free shares as soon as I started tweeting about it,” Kasky added. “I just declined because while I’m kind of a grifter, I’m not that much of a grifter.”

Kasky also appeared to accept part of the blame, stating that he had promised countless people that the gun control movement would not sell out.

“I spent so much time promising people this wasn’t going to turn into a cash grab,” Kasky said. “I am applying my clown makeup with the shame I deserve.”

In another tweet, Kasky also showcased an exchange between Hogg and LeGate in which they discussed buying luxury vehicles with their pillow profits.

https://twitter.com/cameron_kasky/status/1359534013850005505?s=20

While Hogg has not responded directly to Kasky, the activist did issue several statements in his defense.

“To all the people that hate us for trying to make the world a better place I hope you get the help you need because happiness is not gonna come from hate,” Hogg said. “It comes from working hard, doing good and having great friends. Hate all you want- we will prove you wrong.”

Whether Good Pillow will be able to topple Lindell’s pillow empire remains to be seen.


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*First Published: Feb 10, 2021, 4:44 pm CST