Although I'm always reading, writing, and thinking about gun violence, these past few weeks have provided me with an overwhelming amount of stuff to think about.
Mainly, I've been following news coverage of the mass shooting at the Dark Knight Rises premier in Aurora, CO. I've listened to numerous firsthand accounts of the shooting and seen virtual reenactments of how everything went down. My thoughts and prayers go out to all families who have been affected by this shooting. This was a terrible tragedy and quickly remind me of just how fleeting and precious life can be.
But, in thinking about the news coverage, I'm struck by how the Aurora tragedy has sparked national interests in victimization. I usually feel that victims of violent shootings don't get enough news coverage. I often feel like we as a society do not pay enough attention to the many lives that are shattered after a fatal shooting.
But, this time around, I gotta say that I'm pleasantly surprised by the news. In my opinion, news coverage of the Aurora shooting has done a good job covering victim stories.
Some of this interest might have been initiated by the tragic death of Jessica Ghawi, a young woman who was killed in the Aurora premier--just a month shy of escaping a similar public shooting in Toronto's Eaton Centre. The details surrounding her death are extremely tragic and quickly became national news. In the days after the shooting, it was nice to see the news cover her story and the stories of so many other victims who were killed in Aurora.
Since then, folks like Anderson Cooper have begun to focus national attention onto the family members and loved ones of victims in Aurora. I caught snippets of an hour long special in which he interviewed family members who reflected on their loss and experiences just days after learning that their sons, daughters, friends, and loved ones were murdered. Along the way, I've also caught smaller news pieces about victim's families that have made me feel like Jessica Ghawi's story has helped place victim's stories into headlines.
As expected, the left and right have jumped all over these tragedies and are using them to further political aims around gun control. In the wake of Aurora, liberal policymakers have begun to push for tighter gun laws. Many are pointing to the fact that James Holmes (the shooter) purchased his AR-15 assault rifle, his .40 caliber Glock pistol, and his shotgun legally. The left is also quick to point out that he purchased thousands of rounds of ammo and an extended magazine for his assault rifle legally. They argue that if such guns were not available for civilian ownership, such tragedies could be avoided.
Meanwhile, the right has invoked a familiar constitutional stance on gun control. By and large, they argue that the 2nd Amendment (the "right to bear arms") is a sacred and inalienable right, much like the right to free press and speech. They also argue that gun control isn't the real issue here; the main issues revolve around developing better ways of stopping certain people--criminal offenders, the mentally ill, etc.--from having legal access to guns.
I won't comment here on my political beliefs on gun control. It's a contentious issue and one that I'll save for another day...when I feel more resolved about inconsistent logics on both sides of the aisle.
But, while bigger moral and political issues around gun laws continue to grab national headlines, it's nice to see that the news is also reporting on the little people whose lives are directly impacted by mass shootings.
In the months to come, news will inevitably find other tragedies and events to report on; news coverage will also probably shift to forthcoming trials and hearings for James Holmes. As the news coverage shifts away from those directly affected by the shooting, it's incredibly important for everyone to remember the victims and the collective forms of grieving and pain that encircles their families and friends. Families and friends of murder victims have a long road ahead of them. Healing from such tragedies is something that takes a long time and the continued attention, care, and support of multiple institutions and people. While victim stories are front-and-center now, we as a society need to resist the temptation to "move on" and figure out better ways to help the families and friends of fatal gunshot victims.
Mainly, I've been following news coverage of the mass shooting at the Dark Knight Rises premier in Aurora, CO. I've listened to numerous firsthand accounts of the shooting and seen virtual reenactments of how everything went down. My thoughts and prayers go out to all families who have been affected by this shooting. This was a terrible tragedy and quickly remind me of just how fleeting and precious life can be.
But, in thinking about the news coverage, I'm struck by how the Aurora tragedy has sparked national interests in victimization. I usually feel that victims of violent shootings don't get enough news coverage. I often feel like we as a society do not pay enough attention to the many lives that are shattered after a fatal shooting.
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| Jessica Ghawi and a little furry friend |
Some of this interest might have been initiated by the tragic death of Jessica Ghawi, a young woman who was killed in the Aurora premier--just a month shy of escaping a similar public shooting in Toronto's Eaton Centre. The details surrounding her death are extremely tragic and quickly became national news. In the days after the shooting, it was nice to see the news cover her story and the stories of so many other victims who were killed in Aurora.
Since then, folks like Anderson Cooper have begun to focus national attention onto the family members and loved ones of victims in Aurora. I caught snippets of an hour long special in which he interviewed family members who reflected on their loss and experiences just days after learning that their sons, daughters, friends, and loved ones were murdered. Along the way, I've also caught smaller news pieces about victim's families that have made me feel like Jessica Ghawi's story has helped place victim's stories into headlines.
As expected, the left and right have jumped all over these tragedies and are using them to further political aims around gun control. In the wake of Aurora, liberal policymakers have begun to push for tighter gun laws. Many are pointing to the fact that James Holmes (the shooter) purchased his AR-15 assault rifle, his .40 caliber Glock pistol, and his shotgun legally. The left is also quick to point out that he purchased thousands of rounds of ammo and an extended magazine for his assault rifle legally. They argue that if such guns were not available for civilian ownership, such tragedies could be avoided.
Meanwhile, the right has invoked a familiar constitutional stance on gun control. By and large, they argue that the 2nd Amendment (the "right to bear arms") is a sacred and inalienable right, much like the right to free press and speech. They also argue that gun control isn't the real issue here; the main issues revolve around developing better ways of stopping certain people--criminal offenders, the mentally ill, etc.--from having legal access to guns.
I won't comment here on my political beliefs on gun control. It's a contentious issue and one that I'll save for another day...when I feel more resolved about inconsistent logics on both sides of the aisle.
But, while bigger moral and political issues around gun laws continue to grab national headlines, it's nice to see that the news is also reporting on the little people whose lives are directly impacted by mass shootings.
In the months to come, news will inevitably find other tragedies and events to report on; news coverage will also probably shift to forthcoming trials and hearings for James Holmes. As the news coverage shifts away from those directly affected by the shooting, it's incredibly important for everyone to remember the victims and the collective forms of grieving and pain that encircles their families and friends. Families and friends of murder victims have a long road ahead of them. Healing from such tragedies is something that takes a long time and the continued attention, care, and support of multiple institutions and people. While victim stories are front-and-center now, we as a society need to resist the temptation to "move on" and figure out better ways to help the families and friends of fatal gunshot victims.
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