Have we become uncomfortably numb?

Are We Numb to Mass Murder?
Jeff Glor
CBS News
April 5, 2009

In the wake of the mass shooting at the Binghamton, NY American Civic Association where 41-year-old Vietnamese immigrant Jiverly Wong gunned down 13 people who were studying for their citizenship exam before he finally shot himself, the writer of this article asks us, “Are we numb to mass murder?” The writer asserts that this is so, that the public’s reaction has become ritualized, and that people are more concerned with economics than gun control. Furthermore, it doesn't appear that our political leaders are inclined to do much about the problem, aside from offering condolences to the towns and the families that have been traumatized by these events, while hundreds hold vigil for the unfortunate victims.

Everyone still remembers the Columbine shootings 10 years ago, when 15 high school students and teachers were shot down by a fellow student, and Virginia Tech two years ago where the death toll was more than double that of Columbine. There were others before and after that. In the past month 47 people died as a result of six mass shootings. The trend has migrated to Europe as well: Finland had two mass shootings within one year in 2007-2008 and a teenager in Germany shot 15 people in Germany this past March.

These events are tragic, horrifying, and gruesome. And they have become common. But I don’t think people are numb to mass murder—I think they just feel powerless. Honestly, what can anyone do? We can all become paranoid and start mistrusting everyone we see and avoiding public places, but that would put a halt to our lives as we know them. Unless they are actually experiencing the event, people are of necessity going to detach from these events—you could go insane with grief, outrage, and incredulity over the commonality of these events and the fact that the virus has migrated to the rest of the world, as well. People have to go on with their lives. Look at Israel and the Middle East, where a suicide bomber could kill an entire café full of people enjoying an afternoon cappuccino in a matter of minutes: The citizens of these countries continue to live their lives, even though they could die at any moment. They just take precautions. Philosophers state that we should live each day as though it is our last—well, here it is in action. The human spirit can rise about tragedy.

Quite realistically, the economy is a far more immediate danger to survival for most people today than the possibility of being murdered in a mass shooting spree. People are justified in worrying about the economy. They are protecting their families. The chances of losing your investments or your home seem more likely than the chance of getting murdered.

I don’t think tougher gun laws are necessarily the answer. I think we need to focus on stricter enforcement and follow-up of existing laws, with new provisions for mental illness. I don’t want everyone touting a gun, either. But I also don’t want my Constitutional rights curtailed. The right to bear arms was an essential freedom that our Founding Fathers insisted on for the protection of our people against a (despotic) government that misused its power. I don’t want just the army and the police to be allowed to have guns and then private citizens are left without a means to protect themselves against potential abuses of power. I don’t have a gun and I don’t want one but I want to be able to know that I can have one when I need it. I hate guns.

Clearly, our society requires an overhaul of its system of dealing with troubled teenagers and people who exhibit the warning signs of potential violence. It may not be politically correct, but it can save lives. I think there is an element of copycatism involved in these crimes. One crazy person got the idea more than a decade ago and it caught on like wildfire. So, should we stop reporting on these crimes and giving these people their 15 minutes of fame? It might actually stop some of the violence but that’s not a solution, either. I believe it is time for our lawmakers and mental health experts to begin studying this problem in earnest and drafting a workable plan for stopping these crimes of rage.

Personally, I feel a little sadder, a little more frightened each time I hear about one of these slayings because, to me, with each new incident, I feel that the odds of my life being touched by such an event are increasing, that it is coming a little closer to home. I feel a little more worried each time I read about a mass murder. I feel a little less inclined to spend time in public places, a little more watchful of my surroundings. I feel that my freedoms are being replaced by fears. I don't like it but I don’t know what to do about it, other than pray for the victims, pray that the violence stops, and continue with my life.