Climate researcher Stefan Rahmstorf drew a comparison on Twitter between restrictions on firearms in the USA and a speed limit in Germany – and is sometimes heavily criticized for connecting something that has nothing to do with each other.

The professor of ocean physics at the University of Potsdam wrote verbatim on Wednesday: “If the USA finally introduces reasonable restrictions on firearms, we could finally get a reasonable general speed limit in Germany, right?” Both are equally irrational national fetishes that nobody abroad understands. “Of course I hope that we can do it before the USA!”

In a third tweet, he then responded to the criticism (e.g.: “Disgusting instrumentalization of a massacre”): “Some of the comments find the comparison inappropriate because firearms cause injuries and fatalities. Lawn too, though. Who can estimate which of the two fetishes is more deadly?” He also posted the link to a “Spiegel” article, according to which a speed limit would drastically reduce the number of accidents.