During an interview with ABC’s This Week this Sunday, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick did his part to push an emerging talking point in the wake of the Santa Fe High School shooting that left 10 people dead — a talking point which blames everything except access to guns.
Patrick, who is a Republican, told ABC anchor George Stephanopolous that school shootings are made possible because we live in a country which has “devalued life.”
“Whether it’s through abortion, whether it’s the break-up of families, through violent movies, and particularly violent video games,” Patrick said.
Patrick added that guns “are part of who we are as a nation.”
“You know, it talks about a well-run militia – the 2nd Amendment – our teachers are part of that well-run militia, by the way,” Patrick told Stephanopolous on This Week.
In past statements to news outlets, Patricks has also expressed support for arming teachers.
Texas Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick: "Should we be surprised in this nation?" following deadly shooting in Texas, adding Americans have "devalued life."
"Whether it's through abortion, whether it's the break-up of families, through violent movies, and particularly violent video games." pic.twitter.com/EBjcSRzcgN
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) May 20, 2018
Responding to Patrick in a later appearance on the show, the father of a student killed in the Parkland shooting said Patrick’s remarks were “idiotic” and designed to downplay the need to tighten gun control.
“I think those are the most idiotic comments I’ve ever heard regarding gun safety,” Fred Guttenberg said on Sunday.
“Let me be clear, he should be removed from office for his failure to protect the citizens of Texas,” said Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime Guttenberg was among the 17 killed in February’s shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School.
Earlier this weekend, Patrick invited mockery when he posited that “too many entrances and too many exits” were also to blame for the shooting at Santa Fe high school.
“For that man to make those moronic comments? Unacceptable,” Guttenberg said.
You can watch the full interview below, via ABC News:
Featured image via screen grab
