Florida’s House of Representatives on Tuesday declared pornography a health risk but voted not to discuss a ban on assault weapons less than a week after a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, inducing outrage on social media.
BuzzFeed News reported that survivors of the shooting looked on as Florida House Republicans voted down a motion to discuss a bill that would have banned the sale of automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, like the AR-15 that was allegedly used at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday.
Earlier Tuesday, the Florida House passed a resolution that “states a need for education, research and policy changes to protect Floridians, especially teenagers, from pornography.” There is no consensus among researchers about possible mental or physical side effects of porn.
People on Twitter were irate that Florida lawmakers would be so quick to call porn a “health risk” while tabling a debate on deadly assault weapons.
Yes. We all remember that time a gang of porn stars walked into a school and murdered a bunch of innocent children and teachers. Thanks Florida House.
— Annie (@Anniefromkansas) February 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/KrangTNelson/status/966078268184121344
https://twitter.com/_kaburi_/status/966099462681604096
The world according to Florida State House:
— phawker (@phawker) February 20, 2018
Porn = Health Risk
Assault Weapons = Freedom https://t.co/4dF6nGYkdU
Voters also resolved to express their frustration with the legislature in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections.
https://twitter.com/NerdyWonka/status/966091174930010114
In Florida, porn=bad but assault weapons are ok…all these tools need to be voted out.
— Jeff Mitchell (@jeffersonm1138) February 20, 2018
Florida House declares pornography as a health risk. @TB_Times https://t.co/02ZBJUnpSq
Survivors of the Parkland shooting tweeted their reactions to the legislature.
“I understand there are different viewpoints on this,” said Diego Pfeiffer, who was part of a group headed to meet with Florida Gov. Rick Scott. “I want children’s lives, but maybe that’s just me.”
As Marjory Stoneman Douglas students were en route to Tallahassee, the Florida House opted not to take up a weapons ban this session. At a rest stop, @firepfeiffer1 shares his thoughts. pic.twitter.com/pCpbfTe7O7
— Eliott C. McLaughlin (@ByEliott) February 20, 2018
Another survivor, Emma González, wrote that her anger at lawmakers’ decision-making was “indescribable.”
“How could they do that to us?” she tweeted. “Are you kidding me???”
https://twitter.com/Emma4Change/status/966077121675309056
