I was hoping something would happen to shift the media’s attention away from Imus. Another Britney meltdown, a runaway bride, something like that. But nothing like the horrific shootings at Virginia Tech.
In the wake of the Columbine High School shootings, it became more difficult for kids to be different, at least in dark ways. Now it’s going to be more difficult for disturbed people and eccentric loners across the board. Do you doodle in class or meetings? High school students already know this, and you’d better learn it too: don’t draw guns or daggers.
We always overreact, and this’ll be no exception. One predictable overreaction is coming from the pro-gun people, who want us all to start packing heat. Next time some maniac pulls a gun, armed citizens will mow him down! What a world these NRA types live in. Every man a Steven Sagal, every woman an Annie Oakley, every child a Buford Pusser. Walkin’ tall, buddy, walkin’ tall.
I suspect another overreaction will be a return to 1950s-style methods for dealing with mentally ill and disturbed people. That homeless guy who uses your alley as a toilet? The cat lady next door who’s bringing down property values? Your senile live-in grannie? Hey, just have ’em committed. By this time next year, it’ll be easy! And God knows, there are plenty of empty military facilities around.
An overreaction I’d like to see would be universal public condemnation of NBC and MSNBC, who tripped all over themselves in their haste to exploit the maniac’s sad, senseless video. Who knows how many copycat crazies will come out of their smelly basements now? But I fear any public condemnation will be toothless. According to Drudge, NBC’s ratings went through the roof when they showed that evil crap.
Did I mention my wife works at a gun store? I bet business is going to go way up. Note to wife: this is a good time to ask for a raise.
Paul,
Like most, I have had a very strong reaction to the massacre at VT. While I am a supporter of the Second Amendment, the likes of NRA have their heads buried in the sand, and if I hear once more “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” I just may commit grevious bodily harm on the idiot. People using guns kill people and just try killing 32 people without one. There is linkage. I do not pretend to have an answer, but allowing the mentally disturbed the opportunity, by design or default, to purchase weapons is a form of insanity in itself.
And where do I sign on for condemning the media for turning Cho into a poster-boy icon glamorizing violence? I can hardly wait for the first T-shirt.