(Photo Source: truthout.org)

Trump Thinks Mental Health Is Linked To Recent Mass Shootings

After two mass shootings over the weekend killed almost thirty people combined in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, Trump called for better mental health treatment in the U.S. He also condemned what he considered other factors that led to the shooting, including violent video games, white supremacy, and toxic Internet communities.

“We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace. It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence. We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately. Cultural change is hard, but each of us can choose to build a culture that celebrates the inherent worth and dignity of every human life. That’s what we have to do,” Trump said in his speech addressing the shootings. “Third, we must reform our mental health laws to better identify mentally disturbed individuals who may commit acts of violence, and make sure those people not only get treatment, but when necessary, involuntary confinement. Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun.”

Trump’s remarks received a mixed response from both Democrats and Republicans. Many Democrats are unhappy with Republicans’ lack of support for new gun control measures and have vowed to crack down on lax gun laws, especially those related to the sale and ownership of so-called “assault rifles,” like the AR-15.

At a vigil for the victims, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, dismissed Trump’s condemnation of white supremacy and said the President enables racists. The El Paso shooting is believed to be the work of a white supremacist, Patrick Crusius, who posted an anti-immigrant manifesto online before the attack.