Trump: 'Mental illness and hatred pull the trigger, not the gun' - condemns 'racism, bigotry, and white supremacy'

When it comes to gun violence, nothing short of outright bans and door-to-door firearm confiscation will satisfy the left. Progressive want – perhaps above all else – a completely disarmed citizenry. Heck, Eric Swalwell was openly running on jailing people who refused to surrender their 2nd Amendment rights. He may not have gained any traction, but it’s clear that Democrats are on board with the idea, if not the candidate.

Given that stance, nothing President Trump says will ever be enough for them. He’s not a gun-grabber, and he’s not going to suddenly do a 180 on the issue. Even if he did, they still wouldn’t give him any credit for embracing their ideas, because they simply hate him too much.

It’s a shame they’re so blinded by their rage because, gun control aside, there’s a lot they should like in President Trump’s statement on the El Paso and Dayton shootings.

For one thing, he addressed racism and white supremacy:

“In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America. Hatred warps the mind, ravages the heart and devours the soul.”

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He also demanded a quick and efficient death penalty for those who carry out these attacks, and acknowledged that the internet is host to a wide array of very creepy message boards that contribute to domestic radicalization, functioning as safe harbor for some of the nation’s worst people.  We’re looking at you, 8chan, 4chan, and Daily Stormer…

“We must recognize that the internet has provided a dangerous avenue to radicalize disturbed minds and perform demented acts. We must shine light on the dark recesses of the internet and stop mass murders before they start.”

Then there’s the part the left wouldn’t like.  Long time readers know I’ve always argued that untreated, or barely treated, mental illness is one of the nation’s most pressing issues. Beginning with JFK’s disastrous effort to gut the mental hospital system, and continuing through every presidency since, the lack of attention, constantly decreasing funding, and absence of legal measures to target mental illness has been a disgrace. It’s at the center of myriad issues including homelessness, widespread drug abuse, and violent crime.

Trump correctly places the blame not on the implement used in the attacks, but on motive and mental health:

“Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger — not the gun.”

That’s 100% correct and, if you want to stop these horrific incidents, the solution lies there. As I’ve written in the past, guns have been around for hundreds of years.  Kids used to take them to school on the bus, so they could participate in after school gun clubs. The increasing numbers of mass-shootings is a modern problem. Something has changed.

You’ll never get rid of firearms and, even if you could, attackers will find other types of weapons. Blanket bans are not the answer to mass shootings. Finding, isolating, and treating the people who carry them out is the only way to stop them.

You can watch the President’s full remarks below.