Joe Rogan branded a ‘moron’ after claiming it’s ‘wise’ not to take guns away from owners
Controversial podcast host has waded into the gun control row in the US, following a deadly shooting at a school in Texas
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Joe Rogan has been called out after wading into the debate on gun control in the US, after 19 children and two adults were killed in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
On Tuesday 24 May, 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos opened fire at Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School.
Officials said Ramos entered the school with a military-grade arsenal of guns and as many as 660 rounds inside high-capacity ammunition magazines, before opening fire.
The findings revealed how the shooter was able to purchase such weaponry without alerting law enforcement.
Soon after the incident, a number of US celebrities reacted to the shooting, with many condemning the government for not imposing stricter gun control laws.
But speaking on his The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan claimed he doesn’t think it’s “wise to take all the guns away from people and give all the power to the government”.
The 54-year-old, who was speaking with scientist Lex Fridman, asked him “how do you stop” a situation like Texas? “No one knows how to stop that,” he said.
“What is the answer? Is the answer to take everyone’s guns? Well, they’re not gonna give their guns up. Only criminals are gonna have guns. It’s not gonna be a good situation,” Rogan added, before claiming it was not a good idea to “take all the guns away from people and give all the power to the government”.
“We see how they are with an armed populace, they still have a tendency towards totalitarianism,” he said. “The more increased power and control you have over people, the easier it is for them to do what they do.
“And it’s a natural inclination, when you’re a person in power, to try to hold more power and acquire more power.”
The controversial podcaster’s comments come despite significant evidence from countries such as Australia and Japan nearly eliminating gun deaths through strict laws or, in the former’s case, even paying citizens to sell their guns to the government.
Rogan’s episode received mixed reactions from fans and commentators, with some calling him “an absolute moron” for making “illogical arguments” in his podcast that has often come under fire for spreading misinformation on a number of issues.
Philly Mag journalist Ernest Owens wrote: “Joe Rogan makes millions of dollars going the wrong direction on common sense daily.
“Imagine purposely choosing to make illogical arguments that will continue to endanger the lives of innocent children. From Covid to gun control, it’s a disgusting way to make a living.”
Podcaster John Melendez said: “As I’ve said before, [Joe Rogan] is an absolute moron. Saying something like gun control doesn’t work is equally as stupid as him saying you should take Ivermectin instead of getting vaccinated. Why anybody listens to this blockhead is beyond me.”
Another viewer wrote: “Oh man, it’s crazy and shocking that Joe Rogan‘s take on gun control is lazy, generic, uninformed, and also probably wrong.”
The Uvalde attack has become the deadliest attack on an elementary school since the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook that claimed the lives of 20 students and six teachers.
Authorities have not revealed Ramos’s motivation for the shooting, but said the suspect was acting alone.
“Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde,” Governor Abbott said in a statement last week.
“Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering.”
Follow live updates on the Texas school shooting here.