Has anyone heard of our school shootings?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

I've been thinking about writing this post since Monday. Just got around to it.

I don't think I'm that callous. Just a question I thought should be asked.

I think if a black NIU graduate showed up and shot 22 people, killed 7 of them, and then killed himself, it would be getting just as much coverage as it is now.

To compare this story's coverage (or any tragedy of a similar scale) to the discovery of an unloaded gun in some 14-year-old kid's backpack is really obtuse.

[ute4ever]

I started a thread about these shootings the other day. Had a few insightful responses:

http://www.utefans.net/message.php?id=568075

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by Tex

I think if a black NIU graduate showed up and shot 22 people, killed 7 of them, and then killed himself, it would be getting just as much coverage as it is now.

To compare this story's coverage (or any tragedy of a similar scale) to the discovery of an unloaded gun in some 14-year-old kid's backpack is really obtuse.

What if he'd shot just one white kid, and then a few days later another black student shot another another white student at a university in Illinois? I bet we would have heard about that.

Indy has made what I consider the only pertinent point; that about neighborhoods. It isn't news because we've come to expect it. I think that is sad. The faces of the parents that rushed to those schools and now have to send their kids off each day to the same schools show the same amount of concern and anguish as those at white schools.

I suppose I am a bit obtuse on this. Just a question I thought we should consider. The faces of the parents, especially the mothers, really got to me.

[Indy Coug]

I think these stories in general (shootings at black schools) get covered well on a local level, but to get national coverage, they usually need to be in areas not ordinarily exposed to that kind of violence.

$0.02

[Tex]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

What if he'd shot just one white kid, and then a few days later another black student shot another another white student at a university in Illinois? I bet we would have heard about that.

Indy has made what I consider the only pertinent point; that about neighborhoods. It isn't news because we've come to expect it. I think that is sad. The faces of the parents that rushed to those schools and now have to send their kids off each day to the same schools show the same amount of concern and anguish as those at white schools.

Well, let's assume for the sake of argument that you're right. Let's exaggerate a little and say that shootings of white kids by white shooters in white neighborhoods occurs with 1/100th the frequency of shootings of black kids by black shooters in black neighborhoods.

Is it the news organizations' fault that the more rare occurance is more "newsworthy"? Ought they to treat all occurances with equal coverage?

More pertinent: do you think the "newsworthiness" of such a story is influenced solely or in large part by race?

Originally Posted by myboynoah

I suppose I am a bit obtuse on this. Just a question I thought we should consider. The faces of the parents, especially the mothers, really got to me.

As it should. It's tragic no matter where it happens. Why this leads you to "take it out" on news organizations baffles me, however. Does a tragedy's coverage inversely correlate to the level of pain the parent of a slain child feels?

[Spaz]

IMO, the question really is: If a black kid shows up & kills a dozen of his black classmates, then shot himself, would it be covered nationally?

I tend to think so.

Secondly, if a white boy got in an argument over country music with a friend, and shot the friend in the leg, would it be covered Nationally?

I honestly don't know.



We're comparing a single-shooting incident with mass murder. Both are unfortunate, and both should be taken seriously.

[Spaz]

I hope this isn't offensive in any way...but, I wonder if there's something that causes white kids to shoot dozens of people, as opposed to black kids just shooting their friends. It just seems like most of the mass-shootings at schools have been white kids.

Or is it just a function of scarcity? Since there's so many more white kids, the chances of a white kid doing it is higher...

[hyrum]

Originally Posted by Spaz

I hope this isn't offensive in any way...but, I wonder if there's something that causes white kids to shoot dozens of people, as opposed to black kids just shooting their friends. It just seems like most of the mass-shootings at schools have been white kids.

Or is it just a function of scarcity? Since there's so many more white kids, the chances of a white kid doing it is higher...

There was an incident in Philly (If I recall correctly) recently that involved African American kids. Can't recall if there were mulitple deaths or just a sniper type shooting in the hallway.

There was a multiple shooting incident in northen Minnesota that involved Native American kids.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/03/22/sch...ing/index.html

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by Tex

Why this leads you to "take it out" on news organizations baffles me, however.

I guess I'm bothered because the nation will focus on, mull over, seek solutions to the abnormal tragedy, yet we give little attention or thought to tragedies we've come to expect. In other words, the likelyhood of gun violence (or any other kind of violence for that matter) at white suburban schools is far less than that for black inner city schools, yet our national focus is and will be on the extraordinary and how we can stop that from happening again, while the commplace tragedies go on with little notice.