Rep. Schweikert: There’s ‘something wrong’ with our young males
Aug 7, 2019, 8:36 AM | Updated: Aug 8, 2019, 8:56 am
(AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — U.S. Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona says there’s “something wrong” with young males after two of them perpetrated mass shootings over the weekend.
A 21-year-old man killed 22 people in El Paso, Texas, while a 24-year-old man killed nine in Dayton, Ohio.
“A number of us have … been talking about societal solutions for how you get individuals to feel valuable,” Schweikert told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Chad Benson Show on Tuesday.
“In sort of a culture where we’ve crushed young men, how do you stop that?”
He said he’s concerned that younger generations are looking to social media to find meaning in their lives.
“You’re watching people who are living fake lives. … Where do you find reaffirmation?” Schweikert said.
“Previous generations, you turned to religion, or you turned to sports, or you turned to community activities … today you turn to, ‘here’s my friends on social media.'”
He blamed politicians and reporters for society’s negativity, saying they focus on fear in their messaging, even when it’s “intellectually vacuous.”
Schweikert said while things may seem bad in the moment, the country needs to find a way to stay optimistic about its future.
“We make it sound like the world is coming to end in 10 years, or 12 years, and that’s absurd,” he said.
“There’s amazingly good things happening … that is going to make, I believe, the next century amazing. So why isn’t there joy in our society?”
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