by Jay Gish
Weve experienced a shocking excess of tragedy by gun violence, recently. The awful news out of NIU is the latest, and my heart goes out to the school, the community, and anyone directly touched by that violence.
Maybe some of the rest of us can still pretend the violence is remote, even though multiple nearby places have been victimized. But even so, there has to be a general sadness underlying things for everyone: we all know this wont be the last time this happens. It may be sooner or it may be later, but this seems like a clearly established pattern of modern American life.
As I was discussing with some friends, it baffles me that there hasnt been much (if any) outcry for answers to this ongoing problem from the presidential candidates. Its not that I think there are easy answers guns and violence intertwine through our culture and laws as much as freedom and capitalism do. But the options on issues like immigration and healthcare arent simple, either, yet that doesnt stop people from barking about their grand solutions for those. (A giant wall! Tax cuts!)
One thing does come to mind, though, that is dismal to imagine, but might have some effect in deterring future suicidal shooting sprees. I wonder if, or when, it will come to a point when the media simply stop covering them.
At some point, T.V. stations mostly agreed theyd no longer show people running out onto the field at sporting events. They want publicity, the theory goes, so if we deny them that, they wont act out.
Obviously, shooting people is a whole different world of acting out. And the people who do so may be emotionally damaged beyond any salvation. But its said the reason they decide to take innocent people with them is so they will finally be a big deal, and people will remember them. In a twisted, backwards way, they want publicity. Even though they wont be here for it.
Is it possible news media would ever not cover this kind of mass violence? Seems implausible. But even if it didnt happen by choice, things that become common enough have a way of not being news anymore. Even Iraq war coverage has dwindled in newscasts, in some cases to nothingness.
We have to hope there wont be other school shootings. But if there are, is the next best hope that theyll still be news?