Sick Culture Causes School Murders, Texas Official Claims

Americans should not be “surprised” by the recent uptick in school shootings because the nation has “devalued life,” “desensitized” children to violence and hasn’t “done anything to harden the target at our schools,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) said Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week.”

Patrick reacted to Friday’s Santa Fe High School shooting — which was carried out by suspect Dmitrios Pagourtzis, 17, and left 10 people dead and 13 others wounded — during appearances Sunday on both “This Week” and CNN’s “State of the Union.”

As the national debate regarding gun control and Second Amendment protections reignited with renewed vigor following the shooting, Patrick urged Americans to seek and recognize the source of the violence.

“George, should we be surprised in this nation? We have devalued life, whether it’s through abortion, whether it’s the breakup of families, through violent movies, and particularly violent video games, which now outsell movies and music,” Patrick said to “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos.

“Psychologists and psychiatrists will tell you that students are desensitized to violence, [and] may have lost empathy for their victims by watching hours and hours of video violent games. Are we desensitized, are these children, are these teenagers?” Patrick asked.

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