Media, Hollywood reacts to El Paso, Dayton shootings

The media and Twitter were full of reactions just hours after the horrific mass shootings that took place over the weekend in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

While in a speech this morning, President Trump blasted white supremacy, he took a cue from Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, who blamed video games as the inspiration for the mass carnage.

“We must stop the glorification of violence in our society,” Trump told reporters. “This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace.”
He added, “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.”

Trump did not mention specific measures to limit access to firearms except proposing “red flag” laws that would prevent access to people who are mentally ill.

GOP House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy agreed, telling Fox & Friends that video games “dehumanize individuals.”

One of Trump’s staunchest media supporters, the Murdoch-owned New York Post published an editorial calling, to “Ban weapons of war.”

Not video games.

The Murdoch-owned paper called for a restoration of the 1994 federal ban on assault-style weapons like the one used in El Paso, Texas, on Sunday; a previous prohibition on that class of guns expired in 2004 and was not renewed by the Republican-led Congress at the time.

“Two mass shootings within 24 hours in El Paso and Dayton, days after the Garlic Festival killings. Three months after Virginia Beach, six months after Aurora, nine months after Thousand Oaks, 10 months after Tree of Life, 15 months after Santa Fe High School, 18 months after Parkland and in the wake of larger horrors like the Vegas concert and Pulse nightclub massacres.

“God bless the people of El Paso, Texas. God bless the people of Dayton, Ohio,” President Trump tweeted Sunday.

God save us all, sir. People all across the nation are scared; many feel like the country is spinning out of control. They’re looking to their leaders for more than prayers.

America is terrified…”

ALSO READ: Fox morning hosts applaud Trump’s racist tweets

You can read the editorial in its entirety here.

The editorial comes one week after a deadly multiple shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California that killed three people.

The Post joins a growing list of activists and celebrities speaking out after the week’s attacks.

Hollywood reacts via Twitter

After Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, took to Twitter to offer his condolences along with President Trump, not many in the entertainment industry were satisfied.

Honestly, they weren’t having it.

Rihanna took to Instagram and responded directly to the president. “Your country had 2 terrorist attacks back to back hours apart leaving almost 30 innocent people dead. This, just days after yet another terrorist attack in California, where a terrorist was able to LEGALLY purchase an assault rifle (AK-47) in Vegas, then drive hours to a food festival in Cali leaving 6 more people dead including a young infant baby boy!
Imagine a world where it’s easier to get an AK-47 than a VISA!”

She continued, “Imagine a world where they build a wall to keep terrorists IN AMERICA!!! My prayers and deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims from Texas, California, and Ohio! I’m so sorry for your loss! Nobody deserves to die like this! NOBODY!”

She wasn’t alone as others, from Andy Richter to Captain America himself, Chris Evans, responded, some taking McConnell to task.

Reel 360 understands the need to say, “thoughts and prayers.” But we would be remiss if we did not say that more must be done to stop this reoccurring nightmare.

Source: New York Post, Twitter, Deadline