Mark FollmanGeverifieerd account

I honestly don’t think we know enough about this yet to say it did have to do with that atmosphere. Unfortunately in America there are a misogyny-related mass shootings in all types of places that Trump hasn’t had anything to do with.

I'm not referring here to the shooter's motive, I'm referring to the atmosphere in which the shooter attacked a news organization. What Trump has done to create that atmosphere—"enemy of the people"—is undeniable, and unprecedented.

I’m not sure I understand the distinction? I know you don’t mean he was responding directly to Trump. I’m saying I don’t see how we can know right now that it does have anything to do with the atmosphere he created.

I think it's impossible to discount that the media has been branded a mortal enemy by the POTUS. It's certainly possible the guy could've done the same if Trump didn't exist. But in my view the atmosphere cultivated by Trump made it more plausible, regardless of specific motive.

That’s totally a reasonable opinion. and you obviously know a zillion times more about this than I do, but I do feel like this is an example of the trouble everyone can get into trying to call-out potential indirect contributing factors. It’s endless.

I hear you—and it's a tricky equation. Given what I know about shooters' mindsets, planning, influence of media, etc, unless he crawled from a cave I think it's impossible to fully ignore the backdrop. But that may never be specifically provable, and could reasonably be disputed.

I think both sides need to take credit for the atmosphere that’s being created as well as the media giving these shooters a platform to be recognized and mimicked by others. This is more than any one person’s fault. It’s everyone who thinks they are more right than anyone else.

Unfortunately, his bully tactics, his narcissistic personality and his mean ways will find a way to deflect any indirect responsibility. He only cares about himself and his base.

He cares about his base up to the point they no longer vote for him. Then he turns on them as he does everyone else.

So Trump is responsible for the guy's lawsuit against them in 2012? Hahaha....tell me another good one! Hahaha!!

You think a lawsuit and a shooting are the same thing? The guy had an axe to grind, and trump said “they’re the enemy of america” and he thought “fuck yeah, I’ll be a hero”.

Trump being in office did not cause the guy to shoot up the place. Like you said, he already had an axe to grind. That's all I'm saying.

Trump saying “the press is the enemy of the American people” ad nauseam for 3years absolutely contributed. It’s not that he’s in office, it’s the rhetoric he’s spewing while there. He’s shouting “fire” in a crowded theater and 5 people just got trampled to death.

I have played first person shooter games and GTA for 20 years, yet I've never thought about going out and shooting people. The guy already had a screw loose. Doesn't matter what @realDonaldTrump said. He would have done it anyway.

What the fuck does playing video games have to do with The President put a target on people this nut job already didn’t like? He has endorsed violence upon media. Repeatedly. He finally got it from one of his supporters. He was loaded, primed, and trump pulled the trigger.

so first off if you don't think that the press is at least half of the problem here in the us your a naive child, now that dose not mean that they need to be shot. Second you guys cant just blame the POTUS for every thing, people have been doing bad things since Cain killed Abel