Rather than directing their anger at the man behind today's mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., many Democrats and members of the media are instead directing their fire at Republicans, President Trump, prayer, the Constitution, and America itself.
Here are some of the most egregious examples of blame-shifting:
NBC's Tom Costello said America's "sick preoccupation with guns" leads to tragedies like today's. After reeling off the death count of other mass shootings, Costello said, "This, according to Bill Bratton the former NYPD commissioner, is another example of how the country seems to have this sick preoccupation with guns. It manifests itself into these really terrible mass shootings." [Video]
Sen. Chris Murphy mocked those offering their "thoughts and prayers," saying prayer is "meaningless" without legislative action:
In another interview, Murphy said anyone who opposes new gun control measures after today lacks a "heart and a soul." [Video]
Murphy's Connecticut colleague, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, said the Republican-led Congress is "complicit" in the deaths of these students and faculty. He also attacked the idea that the Bill of Rights is "absolute."
"Prayers and thoughts are not enough," Blumenthal said. [Video] "We need action. And my colleagues who will blame it all on the mental illness involved, I think are shirking that responsibility. And the Second Amendment, I'm a law enforcer, I believe in the Constitution, but no right is absolute and common sense measures consistent with the Second Amendment are absolutely acceptable under our laws and I think these excuses for failing to move forward are really reprehensible. It makes Congress complicit in these deaths.”
NBC law enforcement analyst, Jim Cavanaugh, likened the Second Amendment to a "suicide pact."
"You know, the argument that gun safety laws don’t work has — it’s jump shark week, it’s gone," he said. "Look at these mass killings. That argument is gone. We need to have reasonable laws, not take away anybody’s rights. Everybody’s got to work together or we make the Second Amendment a suicide pact for all of us, our children, the mall, the school, the college. This is crazy. We can do better."
CNN's Jake Tapper chastised Washington and American voters for not pushing through new gun control laws:
"It is hard to not believe that the adults of America are not failing the children of America by not doing more to prevent guns from getting into the hands of the mentally ill and those who are violent and would carry out such a horrific act,” Tapper said. [At the time of publication, it remains unknown how the killer obtained his weapon.]
ABC's White House correspondent Cecilia Vega suggested President Trump was to blame for not taking action after the Vegas shooting. "After that church shooting in Texas, President Trump said it would be a little too soon to talk about gun laws. After the massacre in Las Vegas, he said, quote, ‘we will talk about gun laws as time goes on.'""There has not been a very serious public policy conversation about gun control here at this administration, in this White House," she continued. "The President tweeted today, 'no child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school.' We will see if this is the one that forces that policy conversation."