In the latest sign that the Trump family will blame anything but guns for mass shootings, Donald Trump Jr. liked a tweet on Thursday that blamed anti-depressants for the violence.
That’s right – he is essentially giving his approval to the theory that a type of medication taken by millions of Americans is to blame for mass shootings like the one that unfolded in Parkland, Florida last month.
MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin pointed out the “like” a short time ago, with the original tweet coming from the account of Hollywood actor Rob Schneider:
What’s even going on here? pic.twitter.com/2akNXp4Mzc
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— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 2, 2018
The Trump family will blame anything but guns for mass shootings
Don Jr.’s Twitter ‘like’ isn’t that surprising. Like the president, his behavior on the social media platform has raised eyebrows over the years. As Newsweek pointed out at the end of 2017, “Comparing Donald Trump Jr. and President Donald Trump’s Twitter accounts gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘like father, like son.'”
But Don Jr.’s apparent belief that these prescription drugs – medications that are taken to improve the mental health of millions of Americans – are at fault for mass violence is among the most insane assertions he’s made – and that’s saying something. It’s also the latest sign that this family will say or do anything to avoid talking about guns.
As Jason Easley noted earlier, the president has now decided to look into the effect that video games have on perpetuating gun violence in the United States – another distraction from talking about the real cause of mass shootings in America.
Here in the reality-based world, most people recognize that individuals with mental conditions – many of whom take drugs to deal with them – exist in all civilized countries, not just the United States. So do violent video games. Where the U.S. stands alone is in its loose gun laws and ease of access to deadly firearms.
The sooner we accept the reality that the United States has a gun problem not seen anywhere else in the world, the sooner we can address it. Sadly, with this family in the White House, it doesn’t seem likely to happen.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
