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Pop punk band Green Day–no stranger to political statements–had a very blunt, expletive-laden message for Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz at their latest concert.
During a performance in Berlin, Germany, the band—best known for songs like "Basket Case," "Longview," "When I Come Around" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"—performed in front of a sign that declared "F**K Ted Cruz."
You can see a photo of the sign below.
\u201cGreen Day last night\u201d— Jesus Chrysler (@Jesus Chrysler) 1654776918
Green Day's message to Cruz comes as the Texas Republican continues to face scathing criticism for his response to last month's mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Cruz was swiftly rebuked after suggesting schools would be safer if there were fewer exits and if more armed officers were stationed inside school buildings.
19 children and two teachers died during the shooting and an increased police presence at the school had not deterred the shooter one bit–but that didn't stop Cruz from continuing to espouse conservative talking points about how militarizing more school officers could prevent further shootings.
Cruz, speaking on Fox News, also did not appear to comprehend cutting down the number of exits in a school building would pose an even greater safety risk, as well as a significant fire hazard.
It was evident many fans of the band feel much the same way about Cruz—who was once called "Lucifer in the flesh" by a fellow Republican.
\u201cThere\u2019s nothing more patriotic than hating Ted Cruz\u201d— Trader Tony (@Trader Tony) 1654866287
\u201cKeep being Green Day, Green Day.\u201d— Solidiuis Yoshi (@Solidiuis Yoshi) 1654873365
\u201cGreen Day says it best!\u201d— KT \u2648\ufe0f\ud83d\ude37\ud83c\udfdd\ud83e\uddea\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a (@KT \u2648\ufe0f\ud83d\ude37\ud83c\udfdd\ud83e\uddea\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a) 1654873895
\u201cThis is why Green Day will remain one of my favorite bands forever\u201d— Squeakfu \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udccf (@Squeakfu \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udccf) 1654886343
\u201c\u201ckEeP pOLiTicS oUt oF mUsIc\u201d \u201csTiCk tO mUsIc\u201d my brother in christ do you know what Punk music is??\u201d— Patrice Marie (@Patrice Marie) 1654889732
\u201cSome vocal artists know how to do it up right\ud83c\udfb6\u201d— Jae (@Jae) 1654892377
\u201cThis Rocks!\u201d— Angelrays Afterdark \ud83c\udf3b (@Angelrays Afterdark \ud83c\udf3b) 1654904178
\u201ceveryone saying green day should just stick to music and stay out of politics has clearly never heard a green day song\u201d— katelynn (@katelynn) 1654975231
\u201cI always loved Green Day\u2026\n\n(Yeah, yeah, swearing is unprofessional or something. But if an F-bomb angers you more than 19 murdered children then I question your priorities).\u201d— Alastair McAlpine, MD \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Alastair McAlpine, MD \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1655239983
Thanks to Cruz, there are more restrictive laws on owning sex toys in Texas than there are on guns.
According to Section 43.23 of the Texas penal code, people are forbidden from having more than six "obscene devices" in their possession. In fact, the law states those who possess them "or similar obscene articles is presumed to possess them with intent to promote the same.”
In 2007, Cruz, then the state's Solicitor General, took part in a federal case to maintain the state's ban on the sale of sex toys. The brief in that case asserted there is "no substantive-due-process right to stimulate one’s genitals for non-medical purposes unrelated to procreation or outside of an interpersonal relationship.”
While that case ruling was overturned in 2008, regulations surrounding sex toys remain encoded in Texas law.