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“People want to hear puppies and kittens and silver linings,” said Tom Teves, who lost his son Alex in the 2012 Aurora, Colorado theater shooting. “But there’s no silver lining to our story. Alex is dead. For the rest of his life, and for the rest of our life.”
But every time a mass shooting is in the news — as in recent weeks when shooters attacked the Gilroy Garlic Festival, a Walmart in El Paso and a nightlife area in Dayton, Ohio, and left more than 30 dead — he tells the story as many times as he can stand.
“It’s too late for my son,” he said. “The goal now is to save someone else’s.”
After their son’s death, Teves and his wife, Caren, launched an organization called No Notoriety with the goal of denying mass shooters the fame they often seek. They try to persuade media organizations not to publish the names of the shooters or photos that would make them look impressive or intimidating.
One study of the deadliest 31 mass shootings since 1966 found that 87% of mass shooters expressed an explicit or circumstantial desire for fame and attention. Another study found that many mass shooters used previous mass shooters as inspiration, role models and idols, fueled by reporting on their backgrounds."
Interesting thread. Many thoughtful posters giving lists of what has changed in American society- particularly for young white men who are most of these shooters.
These posts are interspersed the usual natter of gun righters. They don't speak to the issues that are raised but just repeat that "the guns are not the problem" and "libruls" are out to take away the guns of law abiding citizens.
But overall, I think many of the posters have put their finger on the reasons for the mass shootings. Will anything be done about the main cultural reasons? I say probably not since they involve so many big money industries; big pharma, big video game industry, big media, the NRA, coupled with lack of standards of decency, current educational culture, the idealization of an aggressive military, and so on.
Major societal change will not come either fast or easy. But, if you have a teenage son, pay attention to him and his daily activities and don't put him on popular drugs. Limit electronic devices. Encourage face to face social interactions with others. Talk to him about his interests and his feelings. Develop his empathy. Make sure he gets plenty of outdoor exercise.
As one poster said, why are the parents clueless when these things happen? They have no idea their son has serious weaponry? Of course, recently the mother of one of the shooters did try to warn police in TX who then mysteriously lost the record of her calls. If police aren't required to follow up on warnings, then.....
Interesting thread. Many thoughtful posters giving lists of what has changed in American society- particularly for young white men who are most of these shooters. ..
You know...I'm getting sick of this lie getting regurgitated as if it's some kind of truth (in a country where the majority is white, and "Hispanics" often get lumped in with "whites" in matters of crime).
The chart you show says 4+ people. Of course there are plenty of non white criminals who kill. Surely you're not equating these to the shooters we are discussing.
I am obviously referring to the major incidents like El Paso (22 dead 26 injured), Columbine (13 dead) , Sandy Hook (27 dead), etc etc. and to the OP's main point.
The chart you show says 4+ people. Of course there are plenty of non white criminals who kill.
I am obviously referring to the major incidents like El Paso, Columbine, Sandy Hook, etc etc. and to the OP's main point.
Ohhhh, I see. To the "major" incidents.
In other words, when people who aren't white commit crime, there's nothing "major" about it.
Was Cho's murder of 33 not "major"? Or Hasan offing 12 innocents not "major"? Or how about the Pulse shooting by Mateen...that wasn't "major", you say?
2 of the 3 worst shootings in American history were done by fellows who I don't believe had a speck of European blood in them (Cho, Mateen).
You're not one of these angry young white men I hope.
I don't like the hateful narrative the Fake News has now started pushing...and that you're clearly perpetuating here.
Cut the racial cr-p out. Let's just all agree race isn't the deciding factor in this insanity, okay? 2 of the 3 most deadly shootings in American history were carried out by two gentlemen that had absolutely not an ounce of European blood (Cho, Mateen).
Just don't lie, that's all I'd respectfully ask of you.
Re-read exactly what I wrote in post #192. The only way I could have clarified it more would have been to say "most of the recent shooters" which is what I had in mind.
Yes, you're right not ALL mass shooters are white. And I never said they were. So calm down and don't take things to the extreme.
Oh, and have you posted a cogent theory as to why you think all this shooting is happening? If I've missed your theory, I apologize.
Re-read exactly what I wrote in post #192. The only way I could have clarified it more would have been to say "most of the recent shooters" which is what I had in mind.
Yes, you're right not ALL mass shooters are white. And I never said they were. So calm down and don't take things to the extreme.
Fair enough.
I just think that the "media" are really trying to run with a sick and divisive "white men are terrorists" narrative these days and I think it's pure poison. And it's unfortunate to see people just buy into it and repeat the lie.
Never mind the fact that America is still very much majority white (it then figures that whites are going to account for a certain amount of these sorts of crimes)...it's not at all helpful to say "___________" group are doing all these sorts of crime. It's completely divisive.
Oh, and have you posted a cogent theory as to why you think all this shooting is happening? If I've missed your theory, I apologize.
- Copycats (notoriety, fame)
- Increase in SSRI prescriptions ballooned in the 90s (conveniently when these "mass shootings" started taking off)
- Increase in violent movies and video games
- The increasing erosion of Christianity
There are some other factors, I believe, but those are some of the big reasons IMO.
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