The recent shooting and the media

[TMF Jeff]

I'm seeing a lot of activity online since the school shooting, of a type that I didn't see before the shooting and it's making me reflect on the media, and the way they froth people up in order to pull eyeballs and create advertising revenue.

This is NOT a criticism of anyone, nor is it, obviously, any attempt to minimize a tragedy. I believe everyone is completely sincere, and there's value in people coming together with a single voice after a tragedy creates a new awareness. And I feel a lot of personal grief for the people who were killed. It's absolutely, incomprehesibly horrible what happened. But it's not new, nor is it the biggest, ugliest child-related, gun-related tragedy going on in the world today.

How many of the people who have strong feelings about gun control and mental health, didn't know about school shootings until two days ago? There can't be many. So why is this suddenly such an important issue?

And also, on the same subject, how many people who have strong feelings right now are going to still have those feelings two weeks from now?

I'm not saying the grief isn't real, but the big public clamor for gun control laws strikes me as hollow, because this is hardly new information, and where were all these people two weeks ago?

I think if a shark ate a baby tomorrow, I'd suddenly be seeing nothing but anti-shark memes and exactly zero people talking about guns.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Bothersome]

Humans as a species are reactionary. Very rarely do we see instances of us doing anything preventative in this political sense before it actually happens. (9/11 is a good example.)

The media takes advantage of this. They make sensationalist news stories, interview traumatized kids and parents, all for the sake of better news coverage. Then the general public gets whipped up in it.

This issue will die out in a couple of weeks, just like all national tragedies do. Then it'll stay like that until the next one happens. Rinse and repeat.

I'm guilty of jumping on the sensational bandwagon. I feel bad that I haven't had more views like this all along, and there's even a good chance that I'll simply forget about it once again in a few months, after a new tragedy sweeps the news feeds.

All I can hope is that somewhere, deep down, someone is watching this and learning from it.

 

[Jagermeistered]

Humans as a species are reactionary. Very rarely do we see instances of us doing anything preventative in this political sense before it actually happens. (9/11 is a good example.)

The media takes advantage of this. They make sensationalist news stories, interview traumatized kids and parents, all for the sake of better news coverage. Then the general public gets whipped up in it.

This issue will die out in a couple of weeks, just like all national tragedies do. Then it'll stay like that until the next one happens. Rinse and repeat.

I'm guilty of jumping on the sensational bandwagon. I feel bad that I haven't had more views like this all along, and there's even a good chance that I'll simply forget about it once again in a few months, after a new tragedy sweeps the news feeds.

All I can hope is that somewhere, deep down, someone is watching this and learning from it.

I like that term you used, Bothersome. Sensationalism: the human caricature that shortens a person's train-of-thought. That is just my opinion.

 

[SamuelKhan]

The media's behavior has been totally disgusting since the shooting. Instead of showing respect for the victims, they've been trotting out their gun-control hacks. Ed Schultz is talking confiscation...

America is so divided right now any spark could really open a can of flaming worms that will destroy this country forever.

I'm 100% for concealed carry, and against anyone with mental problems from buying them. I hear that his mom GAVE them to him. This was a failure in mental health, and should be treated as an investigation as to how he murdered 27 people and why. Not another sick reason to crow about insulting our intelligence.

I trust Obama not one bit. He is a politician first.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

I'm not saying the grief isn't real, but the big public clamor for gun control laws strikes me as hollow, because this is hardly new information, and where were all these people two weeks ago?

I'd say there has been a big public clamor for gun control for some time now. However, like in any event where people feel something has strengthened their case, they become vocal about it. Had a citizen with a carry permit shot the suspect, you'd likely hear people who are proguns commenting on it. Hell, you still have people who want less gun control or gun control to not change talking about this issue.

The point is, it's an event that has a lot of attention and is fresh.

 

[alchemy]

The media's behavior has been totally disgusting since the shooting. Instead of showing respect for the victims, they've been trotting out their gun-control hacks. Ed Schultz is talking confiscation...

America is so divided right now any spark could really open a can of flaming worms that will destroy this country forever.

I'm 100% for concealed carry, and against anyone with mental problems from buying them. I hear that his mom GAVE them to him. This was a failure in mental health, and should be treated as an investigation as to how he murdered 27 people and why. Not another sick reason to crow about insulting our intelligence.

I trust Obama not one bit. He is a politician first.

Exactly right

From the moment this tragedy happened, there were people in the media and in DC licking their chops about how they could use this to further their own agendas.

And yet people are getting all pissed off at the pro-gun people for "turning this into a political issue".

I'm sorry, but if you actually believe that it's the gun people that are making this incident political, then you deserve to have your picture in the dictionary by the word Naive.

 

[Bothersome]

Exactly right

From the moment this tragedy happened, there were people in the media and in DC licking their chops about how they could use this to further their own agendas.

And yet people are getting all pissed off at the pro-gun people for "turning this into a political issue".

I'm sorry, but if you actually believe that it's the gun people that are making this incident political, then you deserve to have your picture in the dictionary by the word Naive.

I don't think the pro-gun people have turned this into a political issue.

In fact, it sounds like they've pretty much been apathetic to most of it. It's the anti-gun folks who are causing the biggest ruckus.

 

[Leo tickles]

People flock to things they can find a common ground on. The tragedy is obviously a very bad thing and most people are united into thinking that. From there it just takes one anti gun person to prey on the emotional state of the sympathetic bunch and a bunch of "ban guns" now memes and stories show up.

 

[Sodahead]

I think we should give everyone the benefit of the doubt on this one. People who have suddenly started advocating for gun control, are doing so with the safety of children in mind. Folks still skeptical think that restricting the availability of guns only puts innocent people in more danger. I know the media can distort facts and politicians can prey on the vulnerable to further their own agenda. But in this particular case, I think its a safe bet that there are few to no people with any sort of ulterior motives.

 

[MrMacphisto]

It always comes back to this...

"Never let a tragedy go to waste...."

The government had a variety of Big Brother policies it pushed forward after 9/11, and it looks as if the equivalent with gun policies will be passed in the near future as a reaction to this school shooting.

Government overreach is only possible when people put emotions ahead of logic.

 

[PhilipRJ_UK]

If I can be so bold as to voice an opinion from across the Atlantic, the UK media have had plenty to say regarding the shooting, naturally due to the obvious resemblance it bears to the Dunblane massacre of 1996.

In terms of newspapers, the gamut has been ran from typical red-top coverage.......: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4702951/dark-world-of-school-massacre-adam-lanza.html

......To more balanced opinion........... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/17/white-house-obama-gun-control-newtown

The TV networks have also had their share of opinions, mainly provided by politicians and columnists. Most of it has been considered and balanced, which has been quite surprising.

 

[usgrant]

Connecticut is a big time liberal Gun Control State already. There is absolutely no security at most of these suburban schools, none whatsoever. The left always useless a crisis to push their totalitarian agenda. It starts out with tax the rich. The rich go from 20 million a year, to five million a year, to a million a year and now it's 200,000 single deduction with even more hidden taxes in utilities. By the time this gun control bullshit is over with it will much of the same, the criminals with the guns and the average citizen won't be able to get one or being a gun with a five shot capacity which would be useless against a home invasion of two or more people, people become bad shots under stress. I trust myself more then some liberal weenie telling me what I can or can't do.

 

[Bothersome]

Connecticut is a big time liberal Gun Control State already. There is absolutely no security at most of these suburban schools, none whatsoever. The left always useless a crisis to push their totalitarian agenda. It starts out with tax the rich. The rich go from 20 million a year, to five million a year, to a million a year and now it's 200,000 single deduction with even more hidden taxes in utilities. By the time this gun control bullshit is over with it will much of the same, the criminals with the guns and the average citizen won't be able to get one or being a gun with a five shot capacity which would be useless against a home invasion of two or more people, people become bad shots under stress. I trust myself more then some liberal weenie telling me what I can or can't do.

The irony being that you're now using the crisis to push your own agenda.

 

[C.A.B.]

When thinking about so-called "gun control" laws remember: The government (Obama, Bloomberg) is talking about taking away YOUR guns... not THEIRS. The Founding Fathers provisioned us the right to bear arms so that we may protect ourselves as THE PEOPLE from any hint of despot overreaching government. Which you witnessing today. Read up on your history, from the Nazis, to the Soviets, to the Chinese Communists, to Pol Pot, et al. The first thing you do as a smart dictator, is take away your own people's ability to fight back.

As for murderous tragedy, we will always have it, as we have always had it, traced back to Cain. Madmen will always find a way to kill innocents; The Oklahoma Bombing was fertilizer, and the 9/11 terrorists used jets. You can take up the fantasy argument that somehow if all guns were magically removed from the planet, tragedy would not occur, but in truth; the law cannot save anyone from evil. The shooters do not care a wit for legislation (gun free zones is legislative foolishness at its best) However, had there been one brave individual trained and carrying a firearm in that school, all this tragedy might have been stopped dead. Notice: The police and FBI did not arrive at the scene with copies of gun laws in their holsters... they had guns, and rightly so. And don't expect Obama and Bloomberg and all the rest of the politicians to put their conviction where there mouth is tomorrow - rest assured their armed guards are packing heavily, and will continue to be well-armed, long after your constitutional rights have been quashed.

If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both.

 

[Mitchell]

While I understand, and agree with, your point, Jeff. I personally think what you are saying can be explained in this way, and forgive me if I'm using an oversimplification.

Would it be a fair assessment to say that most people, whoever they are, married, single,, of all classes, etc, are probably so intertwined with their own lives, that its just human nature to be apathetic on issues, until there is some reason not to? I watch Jim Gardner every night, and, except for a tradegy like this one, or some.. national emergency or death of a famous person, I probably couldnt recite what stories Jim Gardner talked about on his newscast an hour after I watched it, even if say, he did talk about.. a triple murder in Philadelphia that wasnt something like what happened in CT.

A tradegy such as this one, because of the magnitude of it, the victims involved, and the media coverage, will likely stay in the minds of people for a long time to come. Such probably cant be said for most tradegies.

Again, maybe I'm oversimplifying, but this is just my view.

 

[GirlWhoLikes2Laugh]

I think the media has been handling this terrible tragedy as best they can. What this incident needs to prove is that WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUN CONTROL IN THIS COUNTRY! We have to make stricter laws regarding who can have access to guns and who can't. I think even a majority of people in the N.R.A would agree with that and my boyfriend told me there are some states that you can own a gun if in your background check says that your currently in therapy.

 

[usgrant]

There is so much gun control in many states it's like trying to buy a gun in the Soviet Union. In response to the libs trying to protect my second amendment rights I bought a 12 gauge, 8 shot Mossberg today. I passed the Feds background check. Haven't owned or fired a weapon in about 7 or 8 years. Also started my application process for a handgun permit/license. Should take about 6 months. Any suggestion on a high powered big game rifle? 10 capacity limit where I live. Eventually I want to try to become a gun dealer... Fuck Pelosi and Bloomberg, neither one of these assholes could protect a hamburger at a vegan buffet.

 

[GirlWhoLikes2Laugh]

Yeah well if that's true usgrant, then how in world are these school shootings or elsewhere becoming so common? I'd like to know that answer.

 

[Bothersome]

I'm actually curious about the argument against gun control laws that CAB posted.
(And Jeff, if this is more something that belongs in the P&R, feel free to delete it)

You said that we need our right to bear arms in case the government becomes too overreaching. What does that even mean? Is that supposed to imply that if we feel like the government is screwing us over, we have the right to start shooting them?

 

[Mitchell]

I hope this isnt slightly off topic, but as it is on the topic of gun control, I dont think it irrelevant.

If anyone has read the crime statistics, they are aware that the city of Camden, NJ is statistically one of the most violent in the nation. (First or second most dangerous city, I believe).

Most of us have heard of cities which conduct "gun buyback programs", where people can bring guns to a location set up by the police, and receive cash for their guns, no questions asked.

Tonight, on Jim Gardner's 6pm newscast, he was talking about how Camden had a "gun buyback" day after the shootings in CT, and how the amount of guns given in and bought back, were many times the amount that are normally received at one of the gun buyback programs. Gardner seemed to theorize that even in a city as violent as Camden, the tradegy in CT caused some people to decide that cash is better than guns, although he also mentioned that people could have perhaps given in more guns than usual, in an attempt to secure cash for holiday gift buying.

More in correlation with Jeff's point, one would have to wonder if.. say.. Camden held a gun buyback program, in.. 30 or 60 days from now, what the amount of guns sold at that event would be.

Another case where the tradegy raises public awareness, but the question being for how long.

 

[tickledorange]

I'm more worried about the economy than stupid gun control.

 

[Bothersome]

Mitch, are those programs really 'no questions asked'?

I only say this because generally when the police are involved, nothing is 'no questions asked'. If a man came in with an assault rifle, would they really just hand him a couple thousand bucks and let him be on his way?

 

[Mitchell]

Bothersome, according to Jim Gardner, the esteemed longtime anchor in Philadelphia, he claimed the program I described was indeed, "No questions asked". As to whether we can believe that or not, my only answer is we would have needed to be present as the guns were being bought back to know for sure.

 

[whatev]

Liberals are turning this tragedy into a war on the American's Peoples rights... All we want to do is grieve for these families and now they are using it to push for more control over the people. It is sickening.. They can't even give it a week so people can grieve.. The brainwashed liberal populous has no idea how the world works and expect the government to baby them and take care of their every need. They do not want to be accountable for their (and their families) own protection.

 

[Bothersome]

Liberals are turning this tragedy into a war on the American's Peoples rights... All we want to do is grieve for these families and now they are using it to push for more control over the people. It is sickening.. They can't even give it a week so people can grieve.. The brainwashed liberal populous has no idea how the world works and expect the government to baby them and take care of their every need. They do not want to be accountable for their (and their families) own protection.

So, you're saying that the families of those children are the ones that should be held accountable for their safety?

That's even more twisted and cruel than what the media is doing to those poor families.