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This morning, amid deafening criticism over his and his party’s glaring inaction in the face of gun violence, Trump took to Twitter to deflect blame over last week’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, castigating the FBI and using it as an excuse to criticize the Russia investigation.
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Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable. They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign – there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2018
While his supporters may believe his tenuous Twitter tirades as fact, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed and dozens injured, were not about to accept his disgusting defense lying down.
17 of my classmates are gone. That’s 17 futures, 17 children, and 17 friends stolen. But you’re right, it always has to be about you. How silly of me to forget. #neveragain https://t.co/i6Hldlo0Aq
— Aly Sheehy (@Aly_Sheehy) February 18, 2018
Oh my god. 17 OF MY CLASSMATES AND FRIENDS ARE GONE AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO MAKE THIS ABOUT RUSSIA???!! HAVE A DAMN HEART. You can keep all of your fake and meaningless “thoughts and prayers”. https://t.co/al9DWBM2AW
— Morgan Williams (@morganw_44) February 18, 2018
…my friends were brutally murdered and you have the nerve to make this about Russia. I can not believe this https://t.co/JoEasIsu3V
— kyra (@longlivekcx) February 18, 2018
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17 innocent people were brutally murdered at my school, a place where they should have felt safe. Their lives were gone in an instant. You are the President of the United States and you have the audacity to put this on Russia as an excuse. I guess I should expect that from you. https://t.co/phOg97PJoD
— taylor // #NEVERAGAIN (@tayloryon_) February 18, 2018
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It’s very sad that thousands of voices won’t be heard bc this egocentric maniac is too caught up on himself instead of the change for the people. What’s not acceptable is you continuously trying to put the blame on someone else other than you. We want action not your words. https://t.co/GgSinporaI
— giuliana. #neveragain (@giu0807) February 18, 2018
The President seems to have finally met his match in the students of Parkland, Florida, who have been relentless and outspoken in their demand for action a Republican Party essentially owned by the NRA.
Amid a flurry of calls by the students to actually have the courage to face those who experienced firsthand last week’s tragic events, the White House has announced that Trump will finally meet with students in Parkland, Florida.
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Per The Hill, “The White House announced Sunday that Trump will host a “listening session” with both students and teachers, followed by a similar event Thursday with state and local officials to discuss school safety. No further details were provided.”
At a pro-gun control rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, student Emma Gonzalez slammed Trump in an impassioned, fiery, and heartwrenching speech.
“If the president wants to come up to me and tell me to my face that it was a terrible tragedy and how it should never have happened, and maintain telling us how nothing is going to be done about it, I’m going to happily ask him how much money he received from the National Rifle Association,” Gonzalez said. “I already know — $30 million.”
This is the 59th mass shooting at or near a school this academic year. Americans are absolutely fed up with the inaction of Republicans in Washington who would rather defend the NRA than their own constituents.
The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School may only be teenagers, but they are the voice of all Americans right now.
Follow Brian Tyler Cohen on Facebook and Twitter.
