Cotton's line flooded after pop star's tweet

Miley Cyrus arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014, in Inglewood, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Miley Cyrus arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014, in Inglewood, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

WASHINGTON -- Pop star Miley Cyrus didn't like U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton's comment that gay people should have a "sense of perspective" about Arkansas' Religious Freedom Restoration Act, so on Thursday she urged her 19.4 million Twitter followers to call the Arkansas politician and speak their minds.

The singer and former Disney Channel star also passed along Cotton's main Capitol Hill phone number. Soon, the Dardanelle Republican's phone lines were jammed and his voice mail was full.

An automated message told those who dialed the number: "Please try again later. Thanks for calling. Goodbye."

After sending a statement about a proposed deal restricting Iran's nuclear capabilities that was announced early in the day, Cotton's spokesman did not return calls or emails seeking response Thursday.

The senator's comments came during an appearance Wednesday on CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. After Cotton spoke about negotiations over the nuclear plan with Iran, Blitzer asked him to react to Gov. Asa Hutchinson's announcement that he would not sign the bill as originally passed by the Arkansas Legislature. State lawmakers modified the bill to align with federal law and passed it Thursday.

Several national cable news networks carried Hutchinson's news conference live and it was a frequently discussed throughout the day.

"It's important that we have a sense of perspective about our priorities," Cotton said. "In Iran they hang you for the crime of being gay. They are currently imprisoning an American preacher for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ in Iran. We should focus on the most important priorities that our country faces right now and I would say that a nuclear armed Iran and the threat that it poses to the region and our interests in the region and American citizens is the most important thing that we could be focused on right now."

Cotton also said that Hutchinson and the state Legislature are "trying to strike the right balance between protecting all citizens of all stripes from discrimination." He said there should be a discussion about whether a person should be compelled to perform a service or action if they don't believe it is right.

Cyrus wrote a series of tweets about the exchange Thursday afternoon.

"Senator Cotton thinks gay community needs to get 'perspective' cuz 'In Iran they hang you for the crime of being gay'" she tweeted. "Let's stir some s*** up! Senator Cotton (202) 224-2353 !!!! Happy Hippies call & express why freedom is important to us & our country!"

The Happy Hippies Foundation is a youth social justice nonprofit Cyrus works with that works to end teenage homelessness.

Cyrus wasn't the only one upset about Cotton's comments.

Earlier Thursday, Stonewall Democratic Caucus of Arkansas President Tippi McCullough asked Cotton to retract his comment and meet with members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, which advocates often refer to by the abbreviation LGBT.

"The Stonewall Democratic Caucus of Arkansas is appalled by the most recent statement by Senator Tom Cotton," the post states. "His callous disregard for both LGBT citizens and their families is reckless and unconscionable. Scores of LGBT people have been beaten, tortured, and killed simply for being LGBT. Further, to equate being gay with a crime is divisive and polarizing. We call on him to meet with members of the community and their families. We call on him to retract his comments. We have left a request for a meeting at his Little Rock office."

Cotton's central Arkansas phones weren't affected.

The Human Rights Campaign, which advocated against the original bill, also weighed in Thursday. The Washington, D.C.-based group is led by Arkansan Chad Griffin.

"Senator Cotton's comments regarding discrimination against LGBT Americans were offensive and reveal his lack of perspective on equality for all Americans. No American should lose their job, be denied housing or credit, or refused service simply because of who they are or whom they love. Senator Cotton's dismissive disregard for these values is truly unfortunate," National Press Secretary Stephen Peters said via email.

Metro on 04/03/2015

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Miley Cyrus on Thursday criticized Sen. Tom Cotton on Twitter after Cotton's remarks on CNN.

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