In recent years, mass shootings cases have become a common occurrence in the U.S. Such incidents happen every month and cause a broad public outcry. According to Alvarez and Bachman (2019), “U.S. murder rates are about three times higher than those of all other Western industrialized countries” (p. 27). For decades, there has been a debate in Washington about whether restrictions on the proliferation of small arms are permissible or, on the contrary, it is necessary to remove all barriers to the acquisition of barrels. Whenever a new incident appears in the media, a certain skepticism emerges among our society. If society did not force the authorities to act after “the 2017 deadliest Las Vegas shooting in which 58 people were killed at the Route 91 Harvest music festival” (Miranda & Etehad, 2021), then obviously, nothing would change. While politicians continue to negotiate among themselves, the massacres continue to happen, thus measures should be taken. Increasing attention to mental health and decreasing violence coverage in the media are effective ways to start.
Violence has always been a part of U.S. life and history, especially in this day and age. According to Alvarez and Bachman (2019), “throughout the 21st century, news reports have been full of stories about fallen soldiers, car bombing, torture of prisoners. Both domestically and internationally, violence is part and parcel of U.S. life” (p. 27). Considering that, we can also apply “spillover theory,” which implies that justification of legitimate acts of violence such as war, results in an increase of illegitimate forms of violence such as mass shootings (Alvarez & Bachman, 2019, p. 5). Unfortunately, the number of mass shooting cases in the United States surpasses all other countries, and the number is only increasing.
It is estimated that most of the massacres in the United States are committed by people with mental disabilities. In recent years, many killers have been reported to have mental health disorders (Miranda & Etehad, 2021). However, the most challenging thing here is not mental health care but identifying those who need this help. By narrowing down mental health problems to identifying mental health disorders, especially at a young age, a vital element of the problem can be solved. Schools must be ready to act and help children experiencing problems.
When people talk about such a complicated matter as a mass shooting, the efforts of all should be directed towards it. While the media often raise firearms discussions, they do not speak about the obvious – about themselves. All types of media must reconsider the approach to their coverage. Killers should not be the focus of the media; they should be discredited. Reducing the news of shootings is not easy, but that would play an essential role in current culture. Changes in media of these kinds of events might reflect on the ratings of popular series and famous news shows, but it has to be done.
There are regular reports of massacres in the U.S. Each such case ignites the national debate on the reason behind them and what should be done to mitigate the problem. Overall, throughout the last century, mass shootings became one of the most complex issues in the U.S. As a result, the need for restrictions on the free acquisition and possession of firearms, mental healthcare, and media coverage should be prioritized.
References
Alvarez, A., & Bachman, R. D. (2019). Violence: The enduring problem. Sage Publications.
Miranda, C. A., & Etehad, M. (2021). Recent mass shootings in the U.S.: A timeline.Los Angeles Times. Web.