Within minutes of the news of the shooting in the navy yard, many news sources immediately started blaming the guns. CNN said in a headline that the shooter, Aaron Alexis, had an AR-15 rifle, which is a high powered, semi automatic weapon. This was the same gun that Adam Lanza was said to have used in the Sandy Hook shooting, but again, did not use. Shortly after, CNN changed the headline to say the shooter had an AR-15 shotgun, which doesn't even exist. In my opinion, CNN, which is a left wing news broadcaster, wanted to use the term AR-15 to instill a fear in the minds of the viewers and give them the idea that guns are strictly bad. Time and time again, many news anchors and political pundits jump to gun control the second news breaks about these events. While it indeed may be necessary to have some sort of regulation changes on fire arms in the United States, this is simply not the way to push it.
There is a much bigger issue at hand here than the guns. This issue is the person behind the trigger being pulled, and more importantly, their mental health. Almost every single one of these shooters has had a mental illness that either went undiagnosed or was ignored. The Navy Yard shooter, Aaron Alexis, had psychiatric issues in the past, as well as gun violence charges in the past, yet was still granted access onto the gun free navy yard. Adam Lanza, James Holmes, and Seung-Hui Cho, who are the perpetrators of a few recent spree killings, all had some sort of mental or psychiatric issue. In my opinion, this is a far more urgent topic than the gun itself. No gun can enter a building on its own and open fire. The problem lies within the people behind the guns, and mental health is an important issue that needs more attention in the United States.
Hi Nate
ReplyDeleteAlong with the awareness to mental disorders, I also believe that another issue should be addressed: National Security. The Navy Yard, a secured government facility, was infiltrated and assaulted by a deranged gunman. Now replace the word "gunman" from my previous statement with "terrorist" or "rebels" -- it seems plausible. If a man with a rough history was able to have a military job and receive clearance to enter a fortified base, how much easier would it be for an actual enemy of the Nation to cause a much bloodier catastrophe? I'm not paranoid, just slightly concerned. Just as we have heard of terrorist bombings in the UK, I'm certain America's allies are watching...along with its enemies. Watching, learning.
I wouldn't worry too much though haha
Steven
CNN is a leftwing news organization? What does that make MSNBC, which I think most self-described leftists wouldn't consider to be all that far to the left. With terms like left and right, it's always important I think to consider how an individual or organization likes to present itself. Is it just the framing of the issue they picked that makes you see them in this light? How should one approach the gun control issue in order not to be leftwing?
ReplyDeleteThe cynical side of me says that if we argue that the aftermath is never the right time to fix laws, we never will, because we have been in the aftermath of a mass shooting almost continually since the Aurora one.