Media and the politics of gun control

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Hello everyone I'm Greg -- along with -- -- terrorists Bob -- Eric -- -- Dana -- it's 5 o'clock in New York City.

And this is the five.

Zillion times of tragedy I know that opinions or even facts really don't help the suffering.

Saying gun violence has dropped over the last forty years -- that schools are safer than ever.

That means very little to people in shock it's just noise.

To me it's like unfreeze sounds they sound really great but only among the media who -- and gun protected zones.

It's easy to championed gun free.

Behind a -- Fort Hood the dead were children but they were warriors but they were killed in a gun freeze down an army base.

You think that -- -- -- did know that.

I wondered those who believe in gun free zones would announce their habitats.

-- -- free.

Evil seeks the vulnerable it looks to kick between the armor.

And so I ask why can't a school B is protected as 30 Rock is a talking head more valuable.

Than a child.

What do -- now I'm a talking head I know nothing.

As rare as these horrible events are people will always be.

Addressing mental health issues helps as well as our culture's obsession with the evil what's up with that.

And maybe the media eggs this on whispering immortality.

To the loser.

Each creek has the same and oh.

Yet we report it like it's new.

Maybe it's time to ponder instead of pontificating.

Nobody is listening anyway because they've heard it all before and tragically will hear it all again.

To date but it's my question it seems like we're always recycling the same arguments would something like this happens do you think will ever make progress on this -- it's always gonna be us vs bad.

I -- this one might be different.

I think that that innocence of our lives are -- -- -- they young tenderness of that age has made people think okay what can we -- and aside from some places where -- the talk -- only been about gun control there has been.

Building.

As a sense of anxiety about.

What we are not doing to help provide for families that have a loved one that is mentally ill and needs serious help before they do harm to somebody else so.

I I hope and I think and I'm prepared to help out bit.

This I think that this -- could be different -- that might actually mean something that we can do not all the answers but certainly about the piece of helping prevent this from happening again.

NG they're -- -- finally we are talking about different variables everything from mental health issues to school security to.

Areas of gun control where previously we really focus on gun control does that mean there's progress.

I don't know as much as I am hopeful that Dana is right.

It almost seems like every time something like this happens.

We have one side shouting their points the other side shouting their points you have the comedians and making fun.

Of one side usually conservatives for trying to defend their points after there's a waiting period I do think though there should be a waiting period they joke about waiting period for guns.

There needs to be some time before everywhere he starts jumping up and down.

About this and I do think you know congress is there to do a lot of things not just handle the fiscal cliff.

Mental illness is an issue that they rarely talk about this is an opportunity you know it never happens someone will say this of the great opportunity to talk about mental illness.

And then we move on -- gun control I do hope that this time.

I know it's Christmas time but I do -- in the weeks -- follow -- -- the new year people will actually start to have a discussion and -- not yell at the other side.

Bob you talked about guns and mental illness and alcoholism.

And and and how how how.

There should be some kind of screening do you think that because we -- we.

Use mental illness the topic so generally and that it spread so -- that we don't actually catch the people that really need help.

Well I don't know but it -- click in this -- more than any of the others that I can call the stomp to battle health has been much more prevalent right and it had been before we talk.

We generally gun control and -- but I -- Is on this -- that very hard but right the mental health question is one that's serious and real and we know that funds and cut back to the state local the federal level for that.

It's got to be part Parse this and this is also a time when people were starting raised questions about video games -- and the way people communicate.

The way young people communicate with the scene so maybe this is a broader conversation how that ends up -- is something that's tangible is well I have a hard time figuring out.

Yet and I think everybody does.

Eric what do you what do you make of this I mean I.

I look at this and I see that every sick dude there's one linkage to all of these catastrophes.

As -- get more and more gruesome.

It's that they tend to build up on each other.

And they tend to involve these loners.

I mean.

Yeah I don't like talking about them because they're to me they are losers but.

We cannot avoid back.

They may have made that point last night not to mention the guys name what's called in the sugar right midpoint in the last night -- said I don't think it's that time of the place for the gun discussion.

And a stand by that.

It's a whole host of things it's mental health -- its -- it's video games it's it's the culture around what our children are being brought by the way -- children being brought up that violence is okay you can blow it but people can do it on TV or if you do it in a video game.

It's religious breakdown of the family diocese -- this the nuclear family.

It's a whole host of things in this they're asked to be.

Meaningful discussion -- all the including guns.

I just can't do it right now it's just not time we have to work -- -- going on today.

When we are through with some of these things and it's time to move on to discussion Bob and I and he -- and every young left we'll have this massive.

Discussion over what is right what what they -- the Second Amendment should should stay intact the way it is or -- that they should change from the second.

Well what we're thinking one thing that we we should generally agree on is that these schools could use some protection.

But you know I ran the numbers today if you put one policeman.

In every school -- America's 56000 bucks on average to put him in there question is where those resources gonna come for.

Because -- -- question its course and I brought this up last night we protect our moneyweek banks are protecting our money more than an art that the -- -- their children there has to be a source.

It can't be a federal source cousin of the right is gonna say.

Well what are you doing you put federal agents in in the schools that's gonna look bad conspiracy theorists are gonna say what are -- doing President Obama why you're doing this it's got to be at the state level I'll tell you want.

The great piece of news that broke -- government Donald has said in Virginia has said he's looking into on the state level.

Putting some sort of trained officer at all the schools -- -- the way to go.

I'm -- to -- and cost money -- -- for our freedoms we have I mean.

It's that the state local level it's worth it.

It did it on planes after 9/11 there's talk about putting secret air marshals although this school they do say was extremely.

Secure.

And you had to be buzzed in when you got and so I know a lot of schools have metal detectors they have all the southern -- to protect the students.

And what I do hope though is that maybe the discussion on mental illness is less statement -- think you're reading these blogs.

Abouts I am the shooters mother did he have Asperger's was he on the autism spectrum whatever the case the mother.

Knew there was something wrong -- burning himself.

Put yourself in issues about mother.

It's very -- Tyson for her and for the shooter all his life because he maybe he knew he was different to handle that and no mother wants to get.

Rat out her son and have them incarcerated or put him away so.

You know we don't know is -- -- -- I just I just hope it's less stigma ties and for mental illness on any scale for people who are suffering the.

There are events at am not talking that's the -- -- specifically about these kinds of things like the roar Colorado thing.

That law enforcement actually hate to discuss for fear of copy -- there -- third suicidal events for example.

That they don't like to bring up because that fosters suicidal thoughts and other kids.

Are we culpable in that sort of thing in the fact that we.

We delve into the details of what this person is when perhaps we shouldn't.

Well so Eric had the good point about not naming the shooter and a lot of people call for that same please stop this don't name him because it glorifies it.

Put it doesn't matter -- him he's gone he's dead -- killed himself.

But could it help from.

Then somebody.

That you had those tendencies are feeling I was about to snap the think this might be my one shot at glory right.

Even if they're not going to be there to see if they know what -- media coverage is going to be.

So I don't know how than we don't cover the story I admit that that it would be unbalanced.

You know you pick this event -- the mother -- the events of some factory you know that that he used guns that she owned registered ticker.

We do know that -- -- -- he shot his mother and those guns were available to him one way or another in that house.

If you know that your god somebody who's disturbed -- she clearly didn't know.

Why do you have guns available to him in the house maybe she had locked up in -- the combination I don't.

But she really did -- was a terrible gun owner and about stuff was available that was the first question is if the issue I didn't use guns what do you take it some -- it out you know I mean I don't like your favorite terrorist Timothy McVeigh right hopeful the truck outside the building the federal building.

And blow it up with with.

-- -- -- I don't want to blame the mother because of the same time.

He maybe showed no signs of actual violence -- -- just against himself but it was probably the furthest thought from her mind that he would go to the gun closet.

And shoots somebody he could that's -- investigation is really important an -- that police officers are going through.

Line by line because because -- wanna unravel the story the families of the victims deserve it they're gonna want answers and so.

I guess in the days and weeks ahead just as we have and -- Colorado shooting found out more about it and one of the keys to that was the people who knew him said.

We were worried about something happening here.

There's always that I didn't want -- -- about -- -- used to mean a community made it matches that made a wide berth.

Yeah around this community and that they were very among -- community was bad but that doesn't happen in life where you just try to avoid situations.

That are.

-- uncomfortable if there is not a lot of social interaction.

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Media and the politics of gun control

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