Two new surveys testing the nation’s temperature on gun violence find that more blame video games, movies and government inaction than weak gun control for the shootings making headlines.
Rasmussen Reports, in one of its polls about this month’s Florida school shooting, found that 54 percent of adults blame the poor response of government agencies to warning signs about the alleged killer for the mass shooting, Nikolas Cruz, 19.
Another 33 percent blamed a lack of adequate gun control, the focus of Democrats in Florida and Congress.
In a second Rasmussen poll, slightly more than 50 percent blame violent video games and movies for “making America a more hostile place.”
That finding follows a report issued Monday by the Parents Television Council that said 61 percent of prime time shows aired during the recent sweeps week included violence. And 39 percent of 287 episodes included gun violence.
The Florida shooting reports have revealed that there were over two dozen calls to police agencies about the suspect in the killing of 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Rasmussen’s results show the conflict over who and what to blame in the shootings, especially amid reports that law enforcement delayed entering the school during the shooting.
Even among parents, the blame went to government agencies instead of a lack of gun control.
Said the pollster, “Among Americans who have children of elementary or secondary school age, 61 percent think the government is more to blame. Just 23 percent of these adults fault a lack of adequate gun control more.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
