'Fox & Friends' co-hosts link 'video games,' 'parenting' to recent mass shootings: 'There's so many different factors'
After mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas rocked the country over the weekend, the co-hosts of Fox & Friends joined that national conversation around what could have incited the violence.
Citing a Sunday Fox News interview with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the hosts appeared to agree with Patrick’s assessment that violent video games could be to blame. “When you see it through a screen and you don't relate to it in person, it makes it seem like it's more accessible,” noted guest co-host Pete Hegseth, himself a combat veteran.
Co-host Ainsley Earhardt said, “It could be the video games.” Hegseth added, “Parenting,” to which Earhardt replied, “I believe you go grow up, you go to church on Sundays. That teaches you to have fear of God and have good morals. There are so many different factors. You don’t know. Maybe a child is born with mental illness.” Fellow panelist Steve Doocy noted, “It does come back to that a lot.”
Viewers on Twitter were split, with many expressing that they felt the co-hosts’ speculation missed the mark:
Which is it mental health or lack of prayers @foxandfriends ? None, it is white supremacist terrorism.
— Angie (@angierrv) August 5, 2019
Exactly. #MentalHealth and Video games have become the new ‘thoughts and prayers’ . At least for the @GOP it seems! @chrisbergPOVNOW @CNN @foxandfriends @POTUS
— Kelli Slominski (@kellislominski) August 5, 2019
@foxandfriends Meanwhile Trump and the Republicons are in court right now to overturn the ACA which includes services for MENTAL HEALTH! Also other countries have video games but don't have MASS SHOOTINGS like in the USA. Your show is a PATHETIC JOKE.
— Molly Brown (@MollyBrown28) August 5, 2019
Others felt the co-hosts got it right with their speculation and that video games and parenting could be to blame, and one said mental illness isn’t a factor at all:
Mental health is the issue. I believe our anything goes society is a huge factor. The teachings of the the bible could help. A little parenting wouldn't hurt either. And restricting expose to violence to a young mind is a no brainier.
— RiverRat (@TomCurt55551298) August 5, 2019
I must have missed it. When was it disclosed that either is the 2 latest mass shooters suffered from mental health issues? I hate the immediate fall back to that crutch.
— James McLaughlin (@jamesmcl0828) August 5, 2019
Sara Gilbert says goodbye to “The Talk” with an emotional farewell:
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