uni shooting, page-34

it's become a sad and trivilising fact that every time a massacre occurs, the discussion inevitably turns to demonising guns. It seems true that Virginia is rather to laissez-faire when it comes to requiring permits to purchase guns, e.g. guns easily available at gun shows with no permit requried, etc.

However, every time we blame the guns we fail to see the true underlying problem. For example, semi automatic handguns and rifles have been available since around WW1 but it's only been since the 70s and 80s that these massacres have been occuring...I think the sniper in the tower at the Texas Uni back in the 70s may have been the first. Why? I think individualism, alienation, a me-first materlism have largely been to blame. The rising suicide toll amongst young males is another manifestation of this--when a youth kills himself no one but his family notices; when a youth kills himself and those "upsetting" him then its world news.

I've also noticed a copy-cat syndrome at work. These massacres tend to give others simlar ideas. I think it would be a good idea if such blanket, mass-media coverage be avoided in such incidents. Yes, it has to be reported but not in such detail and in such length. The killers should not be named. The way people avoiding naming Lennon's killer --even to this day--so as to not give him the immortality he seeks.