Florida shooting survivor calls out Melania Trump over Donald Jr. ‘liking’ conspiracy theories: Talk to your step-son
A survivor of the Florida high school shooting tore into first lady Melania Trump on Twitter, saying the first lady should “have a convo” with Donald Trump Jr. about cyber bullying.
Lauren Hogg, whose brother David has been one of the most outspoken student voices on gun control from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, tweeted Friday that her experience has gotten “worse” because of Trump Jr.’s role in promoting a conspiracy theory that David Hogg was a paid “crisis actor.”
“Hey @FLOTUS you say that your mission as First Lady is to stop cyber bullying, well then, don’t you think it would have been smart to have a convo with your step-son [Donald Trump, Jr.] before he liked a post about a false conspiracy theory which in turn put a target on my back,” Lauren Hogg tweeted.
“[And] created a safe space for people all over the world to call me and my family horrific things that constantly re-victimizes us and our community,” she continued in a second tweet. “I’m 14 I should never have had to deal with any of this and even though I thought it couldn’t get worse it has because of your family.”
&created a safe space for people all over the world to call me and my family horrific things that constantly re-victimizes us and our community. I’m 14 I should never have had to deal with any of this and even though I thought it couldn’t get worse it has because of your family.
— Lauren Hogg (@lauren_hoggs) February 23, 2018
The Hogg family has been the subject of conspiracy theories suggesting that David Hogg was “coached” by his father, a former FBI agent, to call for gun control, and that he is a paid “crisis actor.”
{mosads}Donald Trump Jr. “liked” several tweets that linked to some of the conspiracy theories, prompting major backlash.
“I just think it’s a testament to the sick immaturity and broken state of our government when these people feel the need to pedal conspiracy theories about people that were in a school shooting where 17 people died and it just makes me sick,” David Hogg told Buzzfeed News in a text in response.
The Hoggs’ mother, Rebecca Boldrick, told the Washington Post that the family has received death threats.
“I’m under so much stress,” Boldrick told the paper. “I’m angry and exhausted. Angry, exhausted and extremely proud.”
As first lady, Melania Trump has committed to combatting cyber bullying as one of her causes. Many critics of the president have criticized this choice, calling it hypocritical because of President Trump’s tendency to use Twitter to attack lawmakers, world leaders and athletes.
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