Jimmy Kimmel eviscerates Donald Trump Jr. for supporting conspiracies about Parkland students: 'Your brain is not functioning'
During his opening monologue Wednesday, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel highlighted the thousands of high school students across the United States walked out of classrooms.
Kimmel noted it was "on the day after the Florida State House refused to even debate a bill to ban assault weapons and large capacity ammunition."
Students even indicated that while they flooded the halls attempting to speak to legislators, the public servants avoided them. Alfonso Calderon told CNN's Don Lemon after the town hall Wednesday that he finally cornered the president of the state senate only to be given the run-around.
"The NRA can only do so much," Calderon said. "We are the people of America. We the people are the ones who change this country. We the people are the ones this country is made and run for. We the people elect who they pay to stay in office. They need to remember that. Because they can fight now. They can fight for years. But change will come."
Kimmel argued to his audience that these phenomenal students that are standing up just days after they were afraid for their lives should be applauded.
He brought up those far-right Republican activists questioning the legitimacy of the students. Not all conspiracy theorists are people like Limbaugh or Alex Jones, however. Former Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) made news this week when he called the students "liberal stooges."
"Yes, there are always crackpots in situations like this who come out of the woodwork with these irrational -- this paranoia-fueled nonsense," Kimmel acknowledged. "The far right wing thrives on conspiracy theories. Global warming is a conspiracy. The Russia investigation is a conspiracy. [Former President Barack] Obama's birth certificate was a conspiracy. And those are just the big ones. There are hundreds of others."
In this case, however, there are known people, Kimmel said. "People like Donald Trump, Jr., the president's least favorite son, perpetuating this kind of stuff."
Meanwhile, Ted Nugent, who promised he would change his discourse after GOP officials were shot at, shared a story on his Facebook attacking one of the survivors of the shooting. Kimmel also noted that Nugent is on the board of the NRA, which he didn't think spoke very highly of the organization.
"The kid who just watched his friends die is a puppet, according to Ted and it's a puppet show," Kimmel said. "Is that OK? Should the person who is actively a member of your board if you are a reputable organization?"
Kimmel looked straight into the camera and asked Trump supporters and NRA members if they truly believe that the students are actors, "who are part of some deep state, left-wing conspiracy." If anyone believes that, Kimmel wants them to know "you're crazy" and "your brain is not functioning."
For those that aren't crazy, Kimmel told them that they have a duty to speak out against those crazies who are making things up about the kids.
Watch the commentary below: