This might be the most random feud that we’ve ever seen. But it’s 2017 and nothing makes sense anymore.
The horrific shooting Las Vegas that left nearly 60 people dead and more than 500 injured has engendered a lot of conversations about gun control, public safety, and terrorism.
But it’s also prompted this weird feud. This is not the time, guys.
Dakota Meyer has military experience, but his role in the armed forces isn’t why he’s famous.
He’s the husband to Bristol Palin, which makes him Sarah Palin’s son-in-law.
(Seriously … he wasn’t born into the Palin clan — he willingly married into it. Can you imagine?!)
And then there’s Dan Bilzerian.
The professional poker player got rich by gambling and now he shows off his wealth by, well, owning a lot of guns, parading a lot of hot women around him in various states of undress, and being an internet personality.
Basically, Bilzerian is cashing in on hypermasculine fantasies by living out the dreams of your average male failure and, therefore, earning their respect and admiration.
(Well … at least he appears to live it out. It might be a bit much to suggest that Bilzerian actually has sex with every hot model featured in his very staged-looking photos)
Bilzerian also makes a habit of making anti-feminist statements, associating with truly terrible people like Floyd Mayweather, and generally coming across as a huge douche.
You’d think that, as different as their lifestyles might be, politics alone would put Dan Bilzerian and Dakota Meyer on the same side.
But not this time.
Dan Bilzerian filmed the mass shooting in Las Vegas. Or, at least, what he experienced of it.
In the (very upsetting — there are no “good” videos from that event) video, Dan describes his experience as he flees the massacre.
“A girl just got shot in the head. This is so crazy.”
Horrific.
Dan claims that he is headed to retrieve one of his guns, which would be almost comical if this weren’t such a serious subject.
“Had to go grab a gun. I’m f—ing heading back. [Expletive] it’s so crazy — some kind of mass shooting. [Explective] guy had a heavy caliber weapon for sure. Saw some girl f—ing get shot in the face right next to me, her brains f—ing hanging out. Stupid-a– me didn’t bring a gun.”
The self-proclaimed King of Instagram then updated his followers.
“They got one of the guys. I’m headed back. I don’t think there’s much I can do.”
There was never anything that Dan could do, of course. Even if he were as badass as he’d like his followers to believe.
The shooter was in a hotel room. Did Dan intend to just start shooting into windows of the Mandalay Bay?
There’s a lot to criticize there. Care to see what struck a nerve with Dakota Meyer?
Meyer took to Instagram to vent his frustration with the man.
“This is why children shouldn’t classify heroes by their followers or their photos. @danbilzerian this is what kills me about people like you. Always playing ‘operator dress up’ and so so tough when the cameras are on.”
That is fair. Dan got rich gambling and it’s not inaccurate to describe so much of what Dan does as playing dress-up.
Having a sizable gun collection is a sign of all sorts of issues and insecurities, but it’s not an indication of military prowess.
“A woman just got shot in the head and you are running away filming that’s not what operators do. Please stop trying to be someone your not. People are dying, you’re running away not helping them and pretending it’s worthy of a video is disgusting.”
We do have an issue with that last bit.
In that … most people absolutely should run away from a shooting in most situations.
Staying in the area will just make you another person for law enforcement to need to protect.
Even if you die, law enforcement will need to determine that you’re dead or they will very likely want to treat you as an injured person who is in danger of being shot again or injured in a crossfire.
But Dan Bilzerian’s brand means that he has to pretend, to his followers, to be a brave, manly hero or he’ll majorly lose face with them.
His lame excuses in the video are fairly self-evident. The fact that he felt a need to broadcast them at all is, honestly, a little sad.
So we are, against our will, forced to agree with Dakota Meyer, here.
Mostly.
