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‘School Violence Is a Wedgie’: Anger as Trump Changes ‘Gun Violence’ to ‘School Violence’ in Parkland Tweet
President Donald Trump‘s statement on the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, which stole the lives of 17 people, used the word “gun” just one time. As NCRM reported, it was in the last of the statement’s six paragraphs.
“Melania and I join all Americans in praying for the continued healing of those in the Parkland community and all communities where lives have been lost to gun violence.”
But in a tweet sent out Thursday afternoon, several hours after the White House published the President’s statement, the phrase “gun violence” was changed to read “school violence,” as The Washington Post noticed.
One year ago today, a horrific act of violence took the lives of 14 students and 3 educators in Parkland, Florida. On this somber anniversary, we honor their memory and recommit to ensuring the safety of all Americans, especially our Nation’s children… https://t.co/MDnSX1BFeW pic.twitter.com/EVAeSwA8oV
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2019
Many on social media noticed the change, and many expressed anger over what one person called President Trump’s “rebranding” of gun violence to school violence.
Why did you change “gun violence” to “school violence”? Were you getting too close to the truth?
— LINDZEE (@WVUMAMA2) February 14, 2019
Gun violence took the lives of 17 people in our community, injured another 17, traumatized teachers, staff, and students, and changed the “safest city” in FL forever. It was GUN VIOLENCE, not school violence #ParklandStrong
— AKSN 🧡✌🏼 (@shipenewbery) February 14, 2019
Oh I see what you did there. You rebranded “gun violence” as “school violence”. You’re a real marketing genius! Consider us all fooled.
— petesaari (@petesaari) February 14, 2019
“School violence” is a wedgie. 17 humans being gunned down in 6 minutes is GUN VIOLENCE. You have done NOTHING.
— Real Donald J “Humpty” Turnip (@Twestytwesty) February 14, 2019
Wait, wait, school violence? Bullying is school violence. That happened in that Florida school was GUN violence, and just like bullying, it needs to stop, and to be acknowledged for what it is.
— Debarker (@Avaltier1) February 14, 2019
It’s not school violence, it’s GUN violence. You can’t even call it what it is because you’re so far up the #NRA’s ass balls deep in Russian money.
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) February 14, 2019
It’s is NOT school violence- it’s GUN violence.
And you haven’t done a damn thing to stop it happening again.
(Thoughts & prayers have proven to be completely useless at stopping bullets).— VictoriaMeldrew (@magpie_417) February 14, 2019
“as a result of school violence”???
It’s as a result of GUN VIOLENCE!!!
Say it you complicit dotard!!!
You’re lies are too easy now.— Charlie (@CharliesinMZ) February 14, 2019
It’s not school violence, church violence, yoga studio violence, concert violence… It’s gun violence, and Trump, the GOP, the NRA, and their Russian co-conspirators are determined to prevent us from ever putting an end to it.
— OneBlueWorld (@WeAretheMedia2) February 14, 2019
I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to say “gun violence”, not “school violence”
— Lissa (Melissa without the Me) (@Lissysilver1974) February 14, 2019
Notice “school” violence, not “GUN” violence? #TrumpsterFire #Impeach
— Brian Winter (@bwinter999) February 14, 2019
Image by Dawn Pennington via Flickr and a CC license
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