This
is no worse than any other typical act of gun violence we’ve become completely acculturated
to in our violent society. In fact, as
most multiple shooting victim incidents go, it was pretty tame. Only two people died and one seriously
injured. Hardly worth a small mention on
local news.
Except – as you know – it will be THE story for days to
come.
And not just because it happened on live TV – although that
does ramp it up to saturation coverage level.
No, the reason this is a huge, huge story is because it
happened to those who normally report the story. And when that happens, the floodgates open.
And that is a good thing in this case. I write this next sentence with tremendous
apprehension and reverence. This act of violence has the potential to move then
needle on badly needed gun restriction that Sandy Hook never could.
Everyone – even the disgusting werewolves in the NRA agreed
that what happened at that school was terrible.
But average kids and parents don’t have the megaphone to enact real
change.
Journalists and – more importantly – their well-heeled
bosses do.
After today, every reporter and camera crew is going to be
looking over their shoulder for a would-be gunman. Every time they start to go
live, they will shudder, even so slightly, at the possibility of an armed
assassin just out of camera view.
And that situation is untenable. And if TV reporters and shows are faced with
an untenable situation, they just might use their massive megaphone to try and
enact change.
It’s so sad and so disheartening, but it is reality: dozens
of dead kids can’t move us toward change, but a bunch of news directors,
editors and corporate bosses just might.
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