Media Silence: Mass Shooting Truths

Title: None Dare Call It Evil: 11 Truths about the Mass Shooting Epidemic that the Media Won’t Talk About

Violence perpetrated by people misusing guns continues to escalate in the U.S.

CBS News reported on May 30th that there had been 263 mass shootings — incidents in which four or more people were killed — in the U.S. through the first 150 days of 2023.

In mid-June, Forbes reported more than 300 mass shootings during the first half of 2023.

By either calculation, we are on a pace to set a new record for the number of mass shooting incidents in one year.

Statistics vary because different groups have different definitions of what constitutes a “mass” shooting.

The one common denominator, however, is that everyone attributes mass shootings to “gun violence” — as if somehow the guns themselves commit violent acts.

We mourn for those who have lost their lives through senseless acts of violence.

We grieve for the families of the victims – and for the injured survivors – whose lives will be forever scarred by their horrible and traumatic experiences.

But it is evil people who commit evil, violent attacks – not guns, not knives, not hammers or other weapons.

Here are 11 truths that politicians and the media are not willing to talk about… but that you should be aware of:

1. Moral relativism creates an environment that’s conducive to acts of violence.

There are no longer any culturally-agreed-upon standards of absolute right and wrong in our country. Moral relativism is hammered into children’s heads through school curriculum as well as through music, TV shows, video games and other forms of entertainment.

And they are taught that they are cosmic accidents and that there is no meaning to life – and no life after death.

Until these things change, mass shootings and other forms of violence will continue to escalate.

2. Despite the increase in mass shootings, they still account for only 0.2% of homicides each year, and approximately 1% of all homicide deaths.

Far more people commit suicide every year with a firearm than are killed by someone else using a gun.

Only 12% of mass killings are mass public shootings. Most mass killings are the result of:

• Murders or murder-suicides of families by a family member
• Robberies or drug deals gone wrong
• Gang-related turf wars

These mass shootings receive little news coverage compared to the much rarer mass public shootings.

For more information about these statistics, click here.

3. Everyone wants to do SOMETHING to stop the mass shootings – even if it won’t help.

In the face of mass murder, people often react irrationally. They want to do something – anything – to stop the violence and “solve” the problem – even if it’s the wrong solution – even if it involves taking away the freedoms and rights of law-abiding citizens.

The media and the politicians won’t tell you that 90% of mass public shootings take place in “gun-free zones” where it is already illegal for ordinary citizens to have firearms.

They also won’t tell you that six out of every ten mass public shootings are carried out with handguns alone – and only one in ten is committed with a rifle or a so-called “assault weapon.”

4. Progressive/socialist politicians, the progressive/pro-socialist news media and biased social media immediately politicize mass shootings.

As the Left always says, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” They will use every mass public shooting and every other opportunity to call for:

• more gun control
• more “gun-free” zones
• banning of “assault weapons”
• repealing of the Second Amendment

And they will criticize and blame conservatives for mass shooting deaths because they support the freedom of gun ownership guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

They will never blame the shooter or his upbringing or his political philosophy or his religion or his history of past behavior or his social media statements.

They will always try to portray the shooter as a victim.

Be aware that the mainstream media will always cherry-pick what it reports about mass shooters because they have a political agenda to support.

5. Why more gun control is NOT the answer to mass shootings.

If stricter gun control was really the answer, then Chicago – with the strictest gun laws in the nation – would be virtually free of gun violence. But clearly, this isn’t the case.

After two of the much-publicized mass public shootings in 2019, former President Obama said that America’s level of gun violence was far out of proportion to other developed countries, and that excuses about the difficulty of stopping such crimes is not a satisfactory response.

Of course, he didn’t cite any evidence … and he didn’t mention the gang-related shooting epidemics in Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit and other cities.

He also ignored the fact that in other countries, bombings, mass stabbings and car attacks often kill more people than mass shootings in the U.S. For example:

• In France in 2016, a car-ramming incident killed 86 and injured 434.
• In Japan in 2016, a mass stabbing killed 19 and injured 45.
• In Great Britain in 2017, a bombing killed 22 and injured 250.

To mention just a few of many such mass killing incidents.

Perhaps those who believe that mass killings in the U.S. are disproportionate to other countries should take a look at what our kids are taught in our public schools and colleges about the value of human life … and compare that with what is taught in other developed countries.

6. The proliferation of gun ownership in the U.S. doesn’t cause more gun-related homicides.

There’s a “dirty little secret” the socialist/progressive politicians and their media cheerleaders don’t want you to know…

Firearm homicides have plummeted over the past 25 years.

The most firearm murders occurred in 1994 – with 16,136 deaths.

In 2017 there were 10,982 murders – a drop of 32%.

This drop in gun homicides occurred while gun ownership increased from 192 million firearms in 1994 to 310 million firearms by 2009 – according to a Congressional Research Service report published in 2013.

7. Guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens save lives.

Here are just a few examples:

• At a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas in 2017, a neighbor with a concealed-carry permit heard the shooting, went to the church and shot the gunman twice, forcing him to flee before he could kill more people.
• In Chicago in 2015, an Uber driver with a concealed-carry permit shot and wounded a gunman who opened fire on a crowd of people.
• In a Philadelphia barber shop in 2015, a customer opened fire on customers and barbers after an argument. Another customer with a concealed-carry permit shot the shooter.
• In a hospital near Philadelphia in 2014, a psychiatric patient shot his caseworker and his psychiatrist. The psychiatrist was able to shoot back and disable the shooter – who still had 39 unspent rounds when he was arrested.

8. Socialists never blame the shooters for their senseless acts of mass murder.

Socialist politicians, the progressive media and social media bloggers are always quick to assess blame and responsibility for mass shootings.

But they never hold the shooters responsible for their heinous acts.

For example, “racist language” and “white supremacy” were blamed for the actions of mass shooters in El Paso and Dayton in 2019.

Another blogger blamed “a combination of right-wing bigotry mixed with easy access to weapons of war.”

Why do these politicians and pundits not blame the shooters for their murderous acts?

Because to do so would require admitting that some people have become overpowered by hatred and evil in their hearts … and that it has nothing to do with politics.

9. The real cause of mass shootings is evil in the heart.

But none dare call it evil.

Why?

Because evil in the heart is a not a social problem. It’s not a gun-control problem.

It’s not an environmental problem. It’s not a problem that can be solved by legislation or by the external efforts of man.

It’s an individual internal problem that requires an individual internal solution … and I believe the real internal solution can only come from God.

10. We know the factors that can cause evil to take control of one’s heart.

Obviously, there are many factors that can contribute to one becoming consumed by hatred and overcome by evil thoughts. Here is just a microcosm:

• The prevalence of divorce – and the huge number of boys who grow up without a strong, loving father figure in the home
• The proliferation of drugs – prescription opioids and psychotic drugs … and illegal drugs
• The devaluing of human life caused by our culture of abortion and violent death-filled video games
• Music and Hollywood entertainment that cheers defiance of authority and glorifies death
• An education system that teaches there is no meaning or purpose for life

Addressing these issues should be the focus of a national conversation on ways in which we can transform hearts and minds by transforming our culture into a culture dominated by an understanding of natural law … and of the difference between right and wrong.

11. All mass shooters have certain things in common.

The Violence Project is a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to reducing violence in society and improving public policy and practice. It was started in 2019 by two university professors who began studying mass shootings and shooters in 1966.

They have discovered four common characteristics of nearly all mass shooters:

• The vast majority of mass shooters experienced early childhood trauma … including exposure to violence at a young age.
• Nearly every mass shooter reached an identifiable crisis point in the weeks or months leading up to their heinous act.
• Most shooters studied the actions of other shooters and sought validation for their motives and actions.
• They all had the means to carry out their plans by obtaining weapons legally, illegally or from family members.

What do you think? Email me at craig@craighuey.com.