People Are Pissed That Florida Lawmakers Declared Porn A Health Risk But Blocked An Assault Weapons Ban – By Blake Montgomery (Buzzfeed.com) / Feb 20 2018
Less than a week after a shooter killed 17 people at a school in Florida, the state’s House of Representatives voted not to discuss a ban on assault weapons after earlier declaring pornography a health risk, angering people on social media.
The gun bill in question would have banned the sale or possession of automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, like the AR-15 rifle authorities say was used at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day.
With survivors of the shooting looking on, Florida House Democrats moved that the bill be brought to the floor for a debate and consideration, but Republicans voted the motion down.
A resolution on possible risks associated with pornography, however, passed the Florida House earlier in the day, with the state Senate scheduled to also hear a similar version. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the resolution on pornography “states a need for education, research and policy changes to protect Floridians, especially teenagers, from pornography.”
Republican Rep. Ross Spano, who is also running for state attorney general, said there is research that demonstrates harmful mental and physical side effects of pornography.
However, there is no consensus among researchers on the subject. And pornography addiction does not officially exist as a psychological diagnosis.
Many people on Twitter noted that Florida lawmakers were using inconclusive data to call something a “health risk” while panning a debate on assault weapons, which have a deadly track record.
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
“Snatching failure out of the jaws of success.”
https://twitter.com/madelkuhns/status/966086807845785601
“The reason the Florida House declared pornography a health risk is that blindness and hairy palms make it harder to shoot a gun accurately.”
The reason the Florida House declared pornography a health risk is that blindness and hairy palms make it harder to shoot a gun accurately.
— (((THEE R.A. Roth, Slava Ukraini! New Novel? Y))) (@fantagor) February 21, 2018
“The world according to Florida State House”
The world according to Florida State House:
Porn = Health Risk
Assault Weapons = Freedom https://t.co/4dF6nGYkdU— phawker (@phawker) February 20, 2018
This is not, in fact, the Onion. It is real life.
Not The Onion. Florida Just Declared Porn A Health Risk, Then Voted Down Motion To Ban Assault Weapons https://t.co/uGnjUFDYw5 via @deepstatenation
— Shelby Kent-Stewart ™ (@ShelbyKStewart) February 21, 2018
People also pointed to the 2018 midterm elections as a way to vent their discontent with the legislature.
https://twitter.com/NerdyWonka/status/966091174930010114
“In Florida, porn=bad but assault weapons are ok…all these tools need to be voted out.”
In Florida, porn=bad but assault weapons are ok…all these tools need to be voted out.
Florida House declares pornography as a health risk. @TB_Times https://t.co/02ZBJUnpSq— Jeff Mitchell (@jeffersonm1138) February 20, 2018
Survivors of the Parkland, Florida, shooting also weighed in
“I understand there are different viewpoints on this,” said Diego Pfeiffer, who was part of a group en route to a meeting with Florida Gov. Rick Scott. “I want children’s lives, but maybe that’s just me.”
A photo of some of the survivors watching the vote unfold in the Florida House also went viral on Twitter.
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
Emma Gonzalez, another survivor, wrote, “How could they do that to us? Are you kidding me???”
https://twitter.com/Emma4Change/status/966077121675309056
