Woman who witnessed husband’s murder in gun-free zone faults media coverage of shootings
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It has been my long held belief that the First Amendment is the underlying cause of many of the problems we see in the US and world today including the violence that has become so prevalent, including violence that is perpetrated with firearms.
As soon as something happens, it is broadcast to almost every person in the world within minutes. Opinion, instead of facts, are broadcast glorifying the goriest of details. And in the end, the perpetrator becomes the highlight of the event, opening the door for the next person to outperform that last so that they too will live, and die, more infamous than the last.
How about we put a waiting period on news outlets and require that they actually verify the truth before they spew the propaganda that we see every day.
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If It Bleeds It Leads, has long been the motto of the press. Ethical and professional standards obviously fell below any acceptable levels.
What can we do? Read between the lines, and be cynical. Also, do not buy lying rags and do not view their websites to deny advertising revenue.
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In an age of 24 hour news the media has to find something to fill the day, the more “spectacular” the better. It ceased being actual “news” years ago and is now simply sensationalism for the masses- you will never hear one of the 24 hr news services say “everything’s pretty quiet today, so we’re going to show “I love Lucy” reruns😏
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Mike you took words out of my mouth. The Advent of the 24 hour news cycle, proliferation of the internet. Have done more harm to this country than can ever be accounted for.
I personally wish that the news media never said anything about the perpetrators and they just became unsub001
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Mike, while I absolutely agree with you that the media causes many of the problems we have to deal with today, I think it’s incorrect to blame the first amendment. In a truly free society, anyone should be free to say whatever they want, but we should also be held accountable for the things we say, which the media isn’t, right now.
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The sad truth is gun free zones are primed for criminals; however, this was a stalking case rather than a mass shooting. It was because she was in a gun free zone that she was not armed it was not the sick ******* who picked the spot. That said the media has glorified tragedy time and time again. Today social media pays people based on views and getting famous no longer takes work.
The more tragic the more famous a person becomes. If you don’t have the media glorifying the tragedy then you have them pushing for the violence in response. Either way, people have stopped doing their own research and believe what they see is the truth. There is not one media outlet that doesn’t have an agenda that they promote. We even have broadcasters pushing the most radical point of views to get higher ratings even when they know their information is only a half-truth.
We were a nation that had quieted the fanatical groups and took away their voice. Now we have given them social media as a way to grow. A long with the media who now publicizes the worst of the nation. The majority is no longer heard, we are just along for the ride. It is the radicals on one side or another that have the loudest voice and who gain followers daily because of it.
I support the 1st amendment because it is crucial to our freedom. Yet, we are watching the radicals use our freedoms to promote fear, gain support, and push for a division that can take it all away. The media is not evil, social media is not evil but the evil are using it as a way to divide this country and our very own families. The only way to stop the media from promoting the violence and from pushing out fears based on radical ideas, is to turn it off. Leave groups on social media that allow radical views that go against our right to self-defense and turn them into pro-violence.
Just like we are the ones that spread covid not the politicians, we are also the ones that can stop this progression into violence by making sure they don’t have our ear or our support.
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So presumably we would need some sort of “Ministry of Truth” to determine what news is able to be stated in public and what isn’t. Which means that the government would be in charge of appointing who gets to decide what “the truth” is. And anyone who thinks that a government -appointed agency is going to determine “the truth” in favor of citizens rights over government rights has never read a history book.
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While I agree with @MikeBKY, I believe the problem goes deeper than simply the effect of the media. Much of what passes for journalism (and I use the term very loosely) has become lazy and self indulgent, casually violating even their self defined rules and ethics.
Reporting the news has become nothing more than a popularity contest, not unlike a high school election, rather than a serious attempt to provide the public with accurate and useful information. In this age of instant global communication, which should make it easier to separate truth from rumor, fact from opinion, and reporting from rhetoric, what we actually are offered is a comic book, gossip rag view of events.
All that being said, I only place part of the blame on the so-called news outlets. The rest of the blame tests squarely on the shoulders of the lazy consumer who accepts flashy sensationalism as journalism without complaint. There is little outcry against against the tabloid gruel being offered and in favor of factual information concerning important events.
We can blame the media, the schools, or even the parents, but the result is we live in a world where critical thinking skills have fallen by the wayside, where intellectual pursuit of knowledge has become the butt of jokes rather than something to aspire to. There are two sides in every exchange, the buyer and the seller. As long as people keep buying what they’re selling, they’ll keep making more of it.
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Not at all. We, the people, can each be our own “ministry of truth” by not accepting what is offered until the offering meets OUR standards. No need for government intervention; the marketplace can do the job.
I agree with you both @PhilJet09 and @Cheetahsneverprosper!
My point is that everyone wants to blame the Second Amendment for the violence that occurs when a gun is the tool that is used to commit the violence. From that same perspective, shouldn’t we blame the First Amendment for not only the incorrect information that is published, but the intentional misinformation as well?
And just like the Second Amendment, the misuse of the First Amendment should have repercussions but rarely does.
Journalism, in my opinion, has gone so far off the deep end to publish data as quickly as possible, with little to no investigation into the truth, authenticity or veracity of the data, as to become mere propagandists and not journalists. It is rare to ever see a journalist or their publisher issue a retraction of incorrect reporting and, when they do, it is placed in an inconspicuous location so no one ever sees it.
As things stand right now, I have more trust is a weather forecaster being correct on a long range forecast then I do in a “news” reporter covering a “breaking story!”
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So, if we see a weapon as a tool and a criminal who uses it for wrong, as the one to be held accountable. There in, one may assume words are tools (most powerful ones indeed) and therefore those who use them to morally commit wrong/harm; should we not also then hold them accountable! Our forefathers struggled long and hard to build our amendments to create a republic based on individual freedom and to encourage, nay, demand moral responsibility in their use. The first amendment is good and so very important. Yet the lack of moral responsibility which permeates our society and the lack of caring for our neighbors only shows the wisdom of our forefathers but also where we have failed to carry on the great responsibility of that wisdom. The 1st Amendment is proof of great wisdom and a necessary component of freedom which is being used in malice, greed and control…by those who would do great harm to our Republic.
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Sadly-- A gun free zone is a target rich zone.
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I agree completely that terrible journalism is a problem, which includes reporting before all the facts are known. And everyone definitely needs to be their own ‘Ministry of Truth’.
My point was that if the call is for imposing a waiting period on reporting, then by extension it requires some entity to be powerful enough to enforce that waiting period. Our choices are the general public, who are either too lazy or ignorant to do so. Or the government, which is always going to be eager to step in to claim that power.
However I think reporting before all facts are known is far less of a problem than blatantly-biased opinion journalists disguising themselves as unbiased reporters valiantly tracking down the news for the great unwashed masses. 95% of ‘journalism’ nowadays is nothing more than left wing opinion about something that happened. That’s where you end up with stories like someone with a handgun defending himself from attackers presented him as the bad guy because he dares to protect himself and his family by exercising his 2nd ammendment right. Every news story about guns is deliberately biased, and always in one direction, “Guns are bad and gun people are bad.” And if you dare to state even the slightest, fully rational opinion that’s different from theirs, then you’re presented as some sort of far right wing kook. No waiting period on reporting is ever going to solve that.
What’s my solution? I don’t have one, besides an informed electorate and educated population.
This forum certainly helps. But it’s a tiny drop in the bucket. Or more like a drop in the ocean at this point.
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Agreed
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Welcome to the party.
Yes, we should be accountable for our words and actions, however, that opens a door we may find most difficult to close and bolt.
The left, seeks to punish, to hold all accountable that speak and say things that are NOT approved by the left.
The left claims they are simply holding an individual accountable for what they say… when the left disagrees,
and by their version of accountable, if you say you support the Constitution and support traditional marriage, the left will seek to have you fired, destroy your career, to destroy your business…if you say you support Republicans or criticize a Democrat, the left will seek to hold you accountable by pounding on your door and frightening your children, intimidating your boss and you, to create fear and discomfort, to ruin your career and destroy your income… all to silence any opposing voices.
So, yes, we should be held accountable, but what will be that accountability, what punishment, and who decides what is and is not acceptable.
The media should be held accountable for helping to incite riots and violence, but they can not be held accountable for lies and disinformation. Look back at the Jefferson / Adams campaign, even our founding fathers had to deal with a smearing media.
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