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Stop School Shootings: Hold the Media Accountable
Gun Watch ^ | 6 January, 2013 | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 01/05/2013 8:11:44 PM PST by marktwain

School shootings have gone up dramatically since 1990. What has changed? First, the Gun Free School Zone act, sponsored by Joe Biden, went into effect, was found unconstitutional, and was then reenacted with intense lobbying by President Clinton. Schools shootings have increased at least four fold since the act was implemented, making schools a popular target full of unarmed victims for mass shooters.

Second, the major media, with a clear desire to pass anti-gun legislation in a media-induced emotional frenzy, has given school shootings enormous coverage far beyond other events that are as horrific. This coverage amounts to shouting “Fire!” in a crowded theater.

As is well documented in Loren Coleman’s book “The Copycat Effect”, published in 2004, when the media create a firestorm of coverage of events such as this, it provides incentive for unstable individuals to do the same sort of crime.

We may be grateful that the media is so intent on disarming the population. If it promoted arson attacks as spectacularly as it does mass shootings, the death toll could be much higher.

What restraint could be applied by the media to reduce these attacks in the future, without violating the first amendment? Author Coleman has some suggestions, a few of which I mention below:

1. Accept that these stories have an effect and that the way they are covered is important.

2. Stop glamorizing the deaths with wall to wall coverage.

3. Stop using cultural stereotypes about the perpetrators or victims.

4. Do not give details about the killing. That serves as a road map for copycats.

5. Give alternatives, such as seeking help or counseling.

I would rather not see legislation restricting the First Amendment, just as I would rather not see any legislation restricting the Second Amendment.

However, in this case, restricting the ability of the media to sensationalize and glamorize these mass shootings would be far more likely to reduce them than would any legislation mandating that no more magazines of over 10 rounds be added to the existing stock of over a hundred million in the United States.

Dean Weingarten


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: banglist; constitution; guncontrol; media; schoolshooting; secondamendment
Media coverage of school shootings is a much clearer cause than the ability of citizens to own standard capacity magazines.
1 posted on 01/05/2013 8:11:53 PM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain

The author left out something. Thanks to liberal pressure, a lot of people who would have been locked away 20-30 years ago are now out walking around with no supervision.

Bipolar? Off your meds? Hey, no problem. Wouldn’t want to repress your feelings. Just go on your merry way and do whatever feels good.

Hello Adam Lanza.


2 posted on 01/05/2013 8:26:46 PM PST by upchuck (America's at an awkward stage. Too late to work within the system, too early to shoot the bastards.)
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To: marktwain
Hold the Media Accountable


3 posted on 01/05/2013 8:26:58 PM PST by Old Sarge (We are officially over the precipice, we just havent struck the ground yet...)
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To: marktwain

In almost every case of horrific murders/massacres in the US in the past 8yrs., they have all been on big pharma mind altering drugs, and also have had dose’s changed up and down, prior to the event.

The argument is wrong, it’s not guns, bathtubs, knives, or cars. It’s big pharma, and all the drugs side effects that they warn about.

As their wonderful drugs are peddled around the world watch the pattern, and get the medical reports on the individuals.

Big pharma pays big money to the governments, just saying.

Oh ya then big gov can force more restrictions down our throat’s, it’s almost a coincidence,but it’s not!!!!!


4 posted on 01/05/2013 8:37:59 PM PST by foundedonpurpose (It's time for a fundamental restoration, of our country's principles!)
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To: marktwain

The government needs the media to whip people into a frenzy of sadness, anger, guilt and grief so that it will be more receptive to the government consuming its freedom.

This is mass mind control in action.


5 posted on 01/05/2013 8:41:59 PM PST by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: marktwain

Firearm Training Schools should be allowed to have at least one wanna-be mass murderer try his luck there once a year.


6 posted on 01/05/2013 8:49:44 PM PST by bunkerhill7 (wellll duhhh!!.)
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To: foundedonpurpose; All

The problem with your hypothesis is that it is only troubled individuals that commit these sorts of crimes. As troubled individuals virtually all have access to drugs that are meant to help them, it is natural that the people who commit these crimes will have used some of those drugs.

The problem is that we cannot separate the cause from the effect. It is equally possible that the sort of people who commit these crimes are going to have used these drugs as it is that people who use these drugs are more likely to commit such a crime.


7 posted on 01/05/2013 9:14:48 PM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain

My Hypothesis comes from the medical records of the Killers in question, the only deviation from this is one of the Columbine shooters who had his medical records held by a judge. The troubled individuals in question all had a doctor prescribing them big pharma drugs.

This is not my opinion, this is a medical fact. proven many times over, based on police records.

The majority of the mega insane killers, have been on the big pharma drugs, period. I’m sorry you missed all of their detailed adds, that provide the warnings. You could go to their web sites and read them as well.

Sorry, none of the mass murderers were stealing drugs!

Do some home work, it’s not hard!


8 posted on 01/05/2013 10:07:53 PM PST by foundedonpurpose (It's time for a fundamental restoration, of our country's principles!)
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To: foundedonpurpose

You are confirming exactly what I said.


9 posted on 01/05/2013 10:12:37 PM PST by marktwain
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To: foundedonpurpose
My Hypothesis comes from the medical records of the Killers in question, the only deviation from this is one of the Columbine shooters who had his medical records held by a judge. The troubled individuals in question all had a doctor prescribing them big pharma drugs.

The point is that you cannot tell which way the arrow of causation is pointing.

Let me try to be a little clearer. Nearly all troubled individuals will be prescribed "big pharma drugs". A very small percentage of those troubled individuals will become mass murderers.

So, why should we believe that they became mass murderers because they took the drugs instead of because they were very troubled individuals?

It could be equally possible that a number of troubled individuals took the drugs and did not become mass murderers because the drugs worked.

10 posted on 01/05/2013 10:18:57 PM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain; foundedonpurpose

I think that the indiscriminate drugging of large numbers of pubescent males has created these monsters. We are not only treating the troubled we are creating zombies... zombies that see the “fame” in doing something like this.


11 posted on 01/06/2013 4:10:38 AM PST by Neidermeyer
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To: foundedonpurpose

You are 100% correct. yet even on FR it is hardly known.


12 posted on 01/06/2013 5:56:55 AM PST by Captain7seas (Fire Jane Lubchenco)
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To: marktwain
These drugs “have no therapeutic effect”. That's a quote from the recent 60 Minute segment that exposed this criminal scam. Go review it then peruse the list of known side effects of these drugs.
13 posted on 01/06/2013 6:04:18 AM PST by Captain7seas (Fire Jane Lubchenco)
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To: Neidermeyer
I think that the indiscriminate drugging of large numbers of pubescent males has created these monsters. We are not only treating the troubled we are creating zombies... zombies that see the “fame” in doing something like this.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Add to this the hostility toward and maltreatment of boys by the government school educational establishment in general. White male historical figures and heroes are held in special contempt. What lesson is this teaching our nation's boys?

Then add to the mix, the increasingly prison-like environment and policies of these so-called indoctrination centers. These boys and girls are treated in many ways like prisoners and their only crime was to be born. Then, they are told by parents and teachers ( people who should be protecting them and in whom they naturally want to trust) that being treated like a prisoner is good for them!

If a child ( who has committed no crime) is drugged into oblivion, then treated like a prisoner, and told by trusted parents and teacher that this treatment is good for them, what is **that** doing a kid's soul, heart, and mind?

The “Scrambled Brain Syndrome” will only grow worse. Could the old Soviet Union have created anything more perverse?

Then in response the Marxist liberals who run the prison-like school system will double down on every measure that is contributing to the problem by insisting on more drugs, more demonizing of males ( especially white males), and more suppression of normal boy behavior, and increasing even further the schools’ prison policies and structure.

14 posted on 01/06/2013 6:42:42 AM PST by wintertime
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To: Captain7seas; All
That's a quote from the recent 60 Minute segment that exposed this criminal scam.

I do not view 60 Minutes as a credible source.

15 posted on 01/06/2013 9:07:35 AM PST by marktwain
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To: wintertime
Add to this the hostility toward and maltreatment of boys by the government school educational establishment in general. White male historical figures and heroes are held in special contempt. What lesson is this teaching our nation's boys?

Spot on the money. White males are the new minority that it is politically correct to abuse.

16 posted on 01/06/2013 9:10:13 AM PST by marktwain
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17 posted on 01/06/2013 9:11:12 AM PST by RedMDer (Those that believe in gun free zones should put GUN FREE ZONE on their property and persons.)
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