Republican Rep. Diane Black, who is running for governor of Tennessee, believes pornography is a "big part" of what is spurring the surge in school shootings.
In an audio clip obtained by HuffPost, Black can be heard lamenting to a congregation of local pastors last week about how the country's youth are "going in the wrong direction."
"There are not any more guns but why does this keep happening?" the 67-year-old asked the group, referring to "kids being violent."
After ticking off reasons like the "deterioration of the family," lack of a "support system," and violent movies, Black brought up pornography.
βItβs available on the shelf when you walk in the grocery store. Yeah, you have to reach up to get it, but thereβs pornography there,β she said. βAll of this is available without parental guidance. I think that is a big part of the root cause.β
Along with being able to apparently reach up and grab porn from the grocery aisle, Black also complained how easily teenagers like her grandchildren can dive into whatever they want on the internet and watch violent movies, which she herself cannot stomach.
"I still cannot watch one of those violent, blow 'em up movies because I am too sensitized," she said. "I am really concerned that they're watching these movies and it doesn't make them go, 'whoo.'"
The result, she argues, is that American teenagers have changed and become more violent.
"Every one of these school shootings, and I've read the details on them, go back to looking at that child and their friends can actually pinpoint the time they saw a change in behavior," she said.
To help fix violent teens, Black told the pastors that "we need to focus on the family."
"We need to find ways that even if we have a pregnancy where both parents aren't married they still understand they are a parent and what that momma is carrying is the most important thing..." she continued.
Black's office did not respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment.