This is an entry I wrote in April 2007, and I wanted to repost it because of the recent tragedy in Norway. Once again, a mass murderer has gotten what he wanted by having the media successfully help him to share his manifesto with the world. The only thing I'd change in my post below is changing the word "country" to "world". Here it is:
How do we stop future massacres? I thought of an answer, but unfortunately I don’t think our country is ready for it because we love news about murderers. The less we publicize the profile of the shooters, the less people will feel the need to shoot up people. Obviously mental illness is a factor, but isn’t it tempting to do something that would allow your voice and your face to be seen and your message to be heard by millions of people? These days the most effective way to make an unheard voice heard is by needlessly shoot people. It’s the new trend.
People who do not feel heard would do anything to share their thoughts and ideas with the world. The Columbine shooters became martyrs and models for future shooters because of the publicity they received. Had their names not been mentioned and their stories not glamorized by the media, maybe the VA Tech shooter wouldn’t have these role models to look up to.
We’ll never be able to stop massacres like this because our country is not ready to ban guns, and it’ll always be easy to go anywhere you want and shoot people. I have faith in my fellow humans, but many are struck with mental illness or difficult pasts, and they do crazy things. Recognition is something that many humans crave, and as long as the media and we the public continue to grant this recognition to people who do great harm to other humans, needless shootings will continue to happen. Let’s get to the root of this issue and make a pact as a nation to not make killers famous at the expense of our own entertainment. Maybe that will deter future killings, because the way things are going we are just encouraging more.
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