How big is media’s role in mass shootings?

Sen. Jeff Kruse (R-Roseburg)

While it is clear some think banning guns will solve the problem, I don’t share that opinion.  One of the good things about a representative republic form of government is it allows the ability to have a very thoughtful process to take place before enacting policies.

On the role of the media on this issue – It is clear the people committing these acts are at least on some level seeking notoriety and their “moment in the sun.”  However convoluted this may actually be I think it is real and the media’s wall-to-wall coverage of these events may indeed be a factor.

I remember events of fifteen to twenty years ago relative to high profile football games.  We had a rash of people disrupting games by running onto the field during the game.  They would eventually get arrested and taken away, but this was after full media coverage on national TV.  A decision was made by the NFL and NCAA, in cooperation with the television networks to no longer show these people on TV.  As a result, over time, people quit doing it.  The reason they no longer do it is because they aren’t getting the notoriety they were seeking.

I mention this as just another potential contributing factor we should be thinking about.

I fully understand the frustration people feel relative to the time it takes government to act, I share that frustration many times.  I would suggest, however, that it is important to consider all of the potential ramifications of an action before it is taken.  There are a great number of times the Legislature has taken action and then had to come back and fix parts or all of that action because of unintended consequences.  In most cases it is better to do nothing than do the wrong thing, and it is important we take the time necessary to try and get it right the first time.