President Trump blamed the string of mass shootings this weekend on violent video games during a press conference on Monday.
What We Know:
- In a press conference addressing the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, the President opened by condemning racism, hatred, and bigotry. He then explained that video games attributed to the cause of the mass shootings. “We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now a commonplace. It is too easy for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence”.
- He also related the shootings to mental illness stating, “mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun.” He implored the use of ‘red flag law’ which enable law enforcement to strip firearms from individuals who display troubling behavior.
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Trump’s comment echoed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy who told Fox News on Sunday, “the idea of these video games that dehumanize individuals to have a game of shooting individuals and others… I’ve always felt that is a problem for future generations and others.”
- These comments are very misguided. Research has shown that there is no link between mass shootings and violent video games. It is also important to note that the U.S. has a disproportionate number of mass shootings compared to countries with higher video game revenue. The issue cannot logically stem from video games.
- Democrats have voiced their disproval of the President’s comments.
People suffer from mental illness in every other country on earth; people play video games in virtually every other country on earth.
The difference is the guns.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 5, 2019
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “Video games aren’t causing mass shootings, white supremacy is. Sadly the GOP refuses to acknowledge that, (because) their strategy relies on rallying a white supremacist base,” she wrote. “That‘s why the President hosts stadiums of people chanting ‘send her back’ & targets Congress-members of color.”
Trump’s rant against video games is unproductive and unfounded. Lawmakers must stay focused and find real solutions to this issue.
