Just saw this on Google News. 2 dead, 1 wounded plus the shooter's dead (suicide). This happened near Portland. Is it just me or are there more and more public shootings every year?
No, there is just 24/7 news coverage. 4 people also isn't a mass shooting, that is sensational journalism. EDIT - Homicide rates have dropped more than 50% in the US since 1990, even though our population increased over 20%. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/tables/10tbl01.xls
Here's the link BTW http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/11/oregon-mall-shooting/1762473/
By that definition, wouldn't a mall in a metropolian area during the Christmas rush qualify as a mass shooting? Aren't all though pseudocommando suicides mass shootings?
We're a country of over 330 million people. Even if 99.999% of the population isn't crazy enough to murder like this, that leaves 3300 people who are. The media is a huge part of the problem with these types of shootings, so are those who consume it. The shooters do it to be infamous. Pretty much sums it up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rMYyegT5Y
Yeah when you think about it.. The number of actual shootings may not have increased, but as we dive deeper into the information/internet age - the news itself travels more efficiently. Unless it was a Columbine or Aurora'esque shooting, the news probably never traveled too much further than its state borders. I mean, even with the information age, I guarantee you a majority of the population won't even know this mall shooting went down. But because all of us here keep our ears closer to the streets than the rest, it'll surely seem like we're dealing with more public shootings.
The media sensationalize these shootings which only lead to more copycats, which leads to more media hysteria, which leads to more shootings, etc, etc.
The medium is the message. A news story is only as important as the viewers it will attract (to watch advertisements).
Come on with the "media sensationalism" copouts. How many times does a crazy person with a gun have to go into a public place where you or your little sister could be at any time t, open fire and kill innocent people before we start taking this thing as a serious national problem that has to be addressed? There is nothing sensationalistic about it. It is one thing to hear about a drive by shooting in an inner city ghetto at night. It is another thing to hear about random crazy gunmen opening fire in movie theaters, malls, schools, churches, temples etc and any other place where regular people go out in public and are otherwise considered to be "safe". What now, do we all need to be packing heat whenever we go to church and out shopping? This is getting ridiculous.
Look at the crime metrics, it is sensationalism. Crime is down substantially overall. Is it still tragic? Yes. Is it cause for alarm? No. Again, in a country of 330+ million, you're going to have some crazy people. It has been proven that the media coverage encourages copycats.
Yeah, same thing with the whole sex offenders deal. Growing up, playing outside was a non issue. Parents were just concerned if you didn't show up for dinner. Nowadays, parents keep children close to their sides b/c the accessibility to the information now. It's not like all of the sudden, F'ed up people decided to start showing up.
