Case (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
case) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomsecrets2014-05-24 03:08 pm
case) wrote in fandomsecrets2014-05-24 03:08 pm
[ SECRET POST #2699 ]
⌈ Secret Post #2699 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
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Notes:
Bit early today, sorry!
Secrets Left to Post: 05 pages, 116 secrets from Secret Submission Post #386.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 1 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
Re: The California Shootings
Though one of the relatively recent ones was at the school my brother goes to, and somebody he knew died.
That was different.
gah, every time I'm just...why???
Re: The California Shootings
Re: The California Shootings
Re: The California Shootings
People don't like admitting that we suck at controlling our weapons, including ones easily capable of mass murder (whether they're intended to be or not). People don't like admitting that our country sucks had providing adequate mental healthcare. Even more so, people don't like admitting that someone they care for, someone they love, may be mentally disturbed. No one wants to be the one to suggest that their own friend or family member may very well be the next mass murderer to make the news. No one likes admitting that we live in a toxic culture that memorializes mass murderers and celebrates violence. Everyone wants to turn a blind eye to how much abuse, neglect, and emotional manipulation we subject each other to, or that we subject our children to. And who is going to take responsibility for the fact that our institutions - media, government, military, law enforcement, education - are often so clogged down with everything from politics to paperwork that drastic action is the only thing that gets anything done.
That list goes on and on and on. There are so many sides to how and why mass murderers and school shooters exist, and there is no one answer - because no one is driven to such a heinous action because of one reason. It is a multitude of factors, and each one deserves attention and none at the expense of each other.
However, look at any given news site, and I guarantee that any given school shooting is followed by a "gun control vs mental healthcare" debate - as if those two are mutually exclusive. The only unique thing about this particular discussion is that there is a conversation about misogyny being opened up by the incident.
But there were also conversations about cultural sexism, oppression, and misogyny following the kidnapping of hundreds of Nigerian girls, the university sexual assault investigations, Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus, the Stubenville rape case, and so many other national news bites before that.
So at this point, I'm jaded and cynical. It sucks that this happened, but even with all the conversation surrounding it, I have my doubts that this latest shooting will change anything - and a lot of that doubt goes right back to the fact that while these shooters are responsible for their own actions and choices, they did not exist in a vacuum...but no one wants to shoulder any responsibility, warranted or not. Every time something like this happens, it turns into a blame game daisy chain and the buck just keeps passing until it's shredded to dust...at which point something happens and we start all over again.
Re: The California Shootings
Re: The California Shootings
I know that not everybody is in complete denial and there are a lot of people invested in these various factors. My primary frustration is that we as a singular, collective society have so much trouble admitting to the complexity of these problems and that we struggle so much with compromise - often not because people actually disagree on something, but just because of political appearances. Sometimes a solution is so simple, but cannot and will not get through because of just a handful of people with too much pride, money, or both to back down.
I mean, take the two biggest "sides" of every shooting issue. For all that people like to blame all gun-related violence on the NRA lobbying, the majority of gun owners and even the majority of NRA members are absolutely in favor more gun control and tighter restrictions on weapons. But that doesn't matter because firearm manufacturers are investing a lot to make sure the crazy fanatics are the ones who make it to the top, become gun lobbying leadership, and become the loudest voices concerning gun rights.
Now, go over to the other side, and you have the inverse problem. While the proportion of blame is up for debate, everyone can agree that mental health problems often played a huge part in why some people go on shootings, and that a lot of violence and tragedy in general could be avoided if those people had mental healthcare. But doing anything about it would mean admitting that we need some kind of universal mental healthcare, which is nearly impossible without a form of universal healthcare, period. So while everyone can agree on this, it doesn't mean they will - in fact, people get caught up arguing in just how much each violent incident can be blamed on mental illness to avoid talking about what to do about the mental illness factor itself.
As a student of History, Communications, Public Policy, and Political Science, this stuff drives me up the wall. Everyone can see why we struggle to achieve basic things, everyone knows where the problem is, yet no one can or will do anything about it.
Re: The California Shootings
Your frustration is completely understandable. And I agree with what you've said here. *nods* It sucks that politicking and posturing for power is allowed to get in the way of getting shit done. (But it's usually what happen when people become overwhelmed by greed or airheaded on political power.)