Now that we’re into the weekend, the coverage of the Umpqua Community College shooting enters the fourth or what I call the “mop-up” phase. Phase 1: reporting. Phase 2: outraging. Phase 3: “debating.” Phase 4: mop-up (a.k.a., Sunday chat show analysis). The report above is a Phase 3 production. Notice that NBC titles the video – an overview of the post-Umpqua political reaction – Jeb Bush on Tough Gun Laws Following Mass Shooting: ‘Stuff Happens’. In other words, forget analysis, gotcha Jeb! And despite Jeb’s [out of context] realism, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE! As a former CNN editor, let me say this about that . . .
TV news isn’t about information. It’s about emotion. If you gave viewers a comprehension test after the NBC report above they’d fail. I don’t care what you’d ask, except maybe “Are guns bad?” Which would elicit the same response if you asked them before they saw the news package. That’s why support for gun rights doesn’t flag – or only flags temporarily – after a “mass shooting.”
These horrific events are only so powerful, so emotional, because they’re perceived to be completely random. It could have been me in that classroom! Or my child! In contrast, a toddler gunned down in a drive-by shooting (inserted into the NBC piece) is too distant from mainstream Americans’ experience to resonate deeply. The toddler’s death is random, but not that random. And, I gotta say, not that horrific.
Political attempts to put mass shootings into a box labeled “here’s something we can do to stop it” are doomed to failure. The idea that you can stop crazies from being crazy defies common sense. Anyone with common sense, or anyone who watches Criminal Minds, knows that homicidal maniacs are not deterred by laws, gun control or otherwise.
That said, Americans did buy into gun control as an answer to unspeakable “gun violence” after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and John and Bobby Kennedy.
I believe the Internet (presaged by CNN) fundamentally changed the way Americans perceive events. No longer do most Americans get their news filtered by three white urban liberals at the top of three major TV networks, and a bunch of white urban liberals controlling national newspapers. Americans now consider multiple news sources or none at all, ignoring just about everything in favor of feel-good entertainment (previously unavailable during the nightly news).
So don’t panic when the mainstream does its usual unhappy dance after a mass shooting or spree killing. All people really want is to see what happened. So they can continue to shake their fists at the NRA, craven politicians and “gun nuts.” Or, as is increasingly the case, make sure they’re armed in their own defense and the defense of other innocent life.
In short this changes nothing. Which, as Jeb almost dared say, is not the worst possible result.
It seems like the most practical solution for these kinds of shootings is to have enough armed people on site to stop the shooter. But the Liberals, Progressives and Intellectuals at this kind of institution seem to be unable to come to that conclusion due to an irrational fear of guns.
“…Liberals, Progressives and Intellectuals at this kind of institution seem to be unable to come to that conclusion due to an irrational fear of guns.”
Dare I say it – Liberals, Progressives and [pseudo] intellectuals come to that conclusion due to an innate understanding that at some point if people have access to guns they will have had enough of the Lib-Prog’s crap and do something about it. The only supposed solution (check your history books) is to disarm the populace and control the armed military and police (and secret service/Gestapo/KGB).
Lib-Prog fears are NOT unfounded.
The accomplice in each mass murder is the nameless bureaucrat or administration that, by decree removes the right of lawful self defense from its citizens or workers. It’s their decision that forces people to stare at a barrel accepting a fate by another.
The evil of school staff knows no bounds. When presented with an armed citizen, who could effect an outcome and perhaps save some lives, he was directed not to engage. Sandy Hook experienced the same problem. It is reported the first LEO stood fast, heared shots and waited for SWAT to arrive.
Evil exists in the mind of a mad men, and their actions are allowed to continue because normal people are not equipped to mentally handle carnage and refuse to understand force on force is the only opportunity for survival.
This article was in my news feed this morning. It looks like a bit more stage 3. I had no clue that the 2a was a gun control amendment? I could have sworn the founder’s said otherwise! It may have been a mad libs article from how many gun control points were hit.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-second-amendment-is-a-gun-control-amendment
Yep. New title, same content.
Gun free zones are no different than the war on drugs, war on poverty, war on whatever. We need to expand the scope of what hasn’t worked and never will work because it feels good. To think that maybe more guns in rational peoples hands to counter act the crazy behavior of a few is unthinkable in the liberal mindset. Guns are evil and all we need to do is make them illegal or at least make more laws and expand the places they are forbidden and this violence will end.
Maybe they should declare the gang areas of Chicago to be “drug free zones”! Wouldn’t that end all the problems?
Those who don’t have the capability to shoot back can easily become prey. Those that are able to defend themselves usually are left alone.
My college students carry both edged and projectile weapons, and were taught at an early age the street smarts and skills to use them.
“News” organiztions are only there to shape public opinion. They are paid to fo this. You can see examples in any media organization you look at, at any time in history, but very prevalent since WWI. WWII news organizations sold War Bonds, and they had to demonstrate that they were the rudder of popular opinion. These last 80 years have been Dems and Libs and their Communist BS. Guns are just a threat to their control and so they are a target.
F them all. Freedom of the press is meant to allow the people of the US to coalesce against and counter a secret and tyrranical gov’t (when their sh_t-a_ _ neighbors needing jobs) get overly uppity and full of themselves. It is not freedom of speech, but it too is solely defended by an armed society.
I am reminded of the quote, “Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
I suspect this was behind most of the attempts by the Founding Fathers to control the government through the Constitution, and further by allowing the citizens the “…shall not be infringed.” right to keep and bear arms.
If the people are unarmed all of the power belongs to the government and there is no force that can control or limit that power. Government at that point, as can be seen all too well, becomes absolutely corrupt and a perversion of its original purpose and intent.
They are saying we have become immune to these reports.
Thats not actually true. Its not that we dont care.
We dont care for them due to their lack of inherent dishonesty. And mostly in my view. Saying over and over “we” have to have more gun control new laws and giving no answers or solutions.
No new law will stop a nutcase. The 1st thing that should be done is to toss out the “Gun Free” zones.
Dont give these nutbags a place they know they wont run into any almost immediate resistance.
Maybe just maybe there would be less impedes to even try for them.
Ive seen almost no reporters or iinterviewers say Gun Free Zones are the cause and that they have to go.
This is from both sides………..
I saw JEB! on O’Reilly last night. And he’s the smart one? No chance. Things have changed since 1968-for good & bad…
He’s only smarter when he’s speaking in Spanish…
POTG believe that nobody has the right to kill us. Progressives believe that nobody has the right to kill us except the government.
Americans did not go with Gun Control in 1968. The 1968 GCA was rammed threw a Democrat congress and by a very anti gun President Johnson in 68. Usually we must be prepared to fight ay anti gun bills by the feds or State antigunners. But for the news…. ignore it put a DVD on during the Sunday talk show hours.
So don’t panic when the mainstream does its usual happy dance after a mass shooting or spree killing. Fixed it for you,
And despite Jeb’s [out of context] realism, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE! Yes enforce the laws that are ALREADY on the books. Some of the disarmed people murdered by the governments of the world, Christians Rome, Jews Nazi Germany, Aztecs Spanish, Maori of NZ and Aboriginals Australia, Scottish William Wallace, the Irish, Welsh by English and the Native America by the US government. THIS is why we need guns to protect ourselves from those who would subject us to their whim and if this is not enough just google dictators.
There are over 400 gun laws on the books and they have done nothing to stop the violence. Because of the winey few we are chastised for wanting to protect ourselves. We NEED guns to protect ourselves from criminals in and out of the government. I deserve the right to protect myself and if you don’t like it tough $hit.
The 2nd Amendment was put into the Constitution so the people could protect themselves from a corrupt government. That is why it says “shall not infringe” so we can have what the government has to prevent a Holocaust. I believe the people should have what the government has including machine guns. The only gun control law there should be is that criminals can’t have any firearms. Thanks for your vote, pass the word. mrpresident2016.com