When George J. Hennard drove his blue Ford Ranger pickup truck through the front window of the Luby’s Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas, on October 16, 1991, several people rushed to see if he was hurt (O’Conner, 2016). Even though the previous day had been his birthday, George met their concerns for him with a barrage of bullets. He then began to methodically shoot people to death with his two 9mm pistols, both of which, he had previously purchased legally (O’Conner, 2016). For several years, George had been very angry at the circumstances that had caused his life to spiral out of control, and the focus of his anger seemed to be particularly pertaining to women (O’Conner, 2016). Notably, two thirds of the more than 40 people that he shot were women.
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Whether the mass shooting is a cry for help, a need for attention, or an overt terrorist act, in most cases, media coverage is very desirable for the criminal. Thomas Steinfati’s research into how young people become affixed to these types of events, not only underscores the mass effect in a macro sense, but also provides motivation for future shooters as well. As far back as 1973, Steinfati’s research found that in a, “stratified sample of 200 teenagers and adults,” that “79% of the total sample” would become aware of a mass shooting, and that “46% of the sample would stay tuned,” for updating information (Steinfati, 1973). It’s obvious that with the advent of 24-hour news channels, the internet, and smart phones, that these statistics would be much higher today, in …show more content…
George Hennard disregarded literally hundreds of formal laws and informal norms when he drove into Luby’s Cafeteria in 1991. It is apparent that although social controls do positively affect most citizens, there are more important aspects in preventing mass shootings. For controls to work in the first place within a free society, the society must have citizens that are willing to follow rules and regulations. Without learning foundations, such as coping, good citizenship, and a failure to treat mental health issues, people will find ways to do great harm when they break with society. Whether it is by detonating a bomb, poisoning a water supply, or crashing an airliner, a person bent on great harm will be able to achieve it. The greatest modes wherein a society can defend itself, is to invest in education, ethics, and mental health…areas that are often highly under invested. Society cannot solve this issue by outlawing every method of harm, nor can it arm every person on campuses around the country. Nevertheless, the greatest enduring social effect, would be to teach its people how to manage everyday situations, and for society to treat mental health issues. Markedly, social focus in these areas appears to have fallen commensurate with the escalation of gun violence. Even though social learning is the groundwork to understanding, and
Whether the mass shooting is a cry for help, a need for attention, or an overt terrorist act, in most cases, media coverage is very desirable for the criminal. Thomas Steinfati’s research into how young people become affixed to these types of events, not only underscores the mass effect in a macro sense, but also provides motivation for future shooters as well. As far back as 1973, Steinfati’s research found that in a, “stratified sample of 200 teenagers and adults,” that “79% of the total sample” would become aware of a mass shooting, and that “46% of the sample would stay tuned,” for updating information (Steinfati, 1973). It’s obvious that with the advent of 24-hour news channels, the internet, and smart phones, that these statistics would be much higher today, in …show more content…
George Hennard disregarded literally hundreds of formal laws and informal norms when he drove into Luby’s Cafeteria in 1991. It is apparent that although social controls do positively affect most citizens, there are more important aspects in preventing mass shootings. For controls to work in the first place within a free society, the society must have citizens that are willing to follow rules and regulations. Without learning foundations, such as coping, good citizenship, and a failure to treat mental health issues, people will find ways to do great harm when they break with society. Whether it is by detonating a bomb, poisoning a water supply, or crashing an airliner, a person bent on great harm will be able to achieve it. The greatest modes wherein a society can defend itself, is to invest in education, ethics, and mental health…areas that are often highly under invested. Society cannot solve this issue by outlawing every method of harm, nor can it arm every person on campuses around the country. Nevertheless, the greatest enduring social effect, would be to teach its people how to manage everyday situations, and for society to treat mental health issues. Markedly, social focus in these areas appears to have fallen commensurate with the escalation of gun violence. Even though social learning is the groundwork to understanding, and