Argumentative Essay: The Sandy Hook Massacre

There have been few American tragedies quite as heartbreaking as the Sandy Hook massacre. December 4th, 2012, in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, an elementary school was attacked by a violent shooter. Teachers bravely sacrificed themselves for their students, but many were still killed. Twenty children (students in Kindergarten through First Grade) and six adult teachers were murdered. Others were severely traumatized and injured. This was the definition of tragedy, and raises many concerns on our approach to gun control, especially in schools. Our society’s detached approach to such incidents could be just as much a factor into the problem as the guns themselves.
Sandy Hook Elementary School had recently installed a high end security system. It required that all visitors physically buzz in and request entry into the school. However, the man still managed to make his way into the classes - he used one of his guns to shoot the door open. The shooter did not purchase the guns - he had multiple - that he used for the shooting. He stole them from his gun-obsessed family. His parents frequently took him on hunting trips and taught him how to use a gun – he was fully aware of the dangers. …show more content…
Perhaps, if the shooters stopped receiving coverage, there would be less shooting to cover. Are the shootings a demented cry for fame? What if mental health assistance was more readily available, or mental health issues were taken more seriously? Media has started to retain information on shootings. "Journalism can be a powerful force for change, and news organizations should not flinch at reporting on mass shootings. But what the Daily News editors didn 't realize was that this sensational approach can possibly do more than perturb or offend. Such images provide the notoriety mass killers crave and can even be a jolt of inspiration for the next shooter." However, the shootings are still