Are We Numb To Mass Murder?

With Dozens Killed In Mass Shootings Over The Past 4 Weeks, The Unthinkable Now Seems Commonplace

(CBS)  In upstate New York, the people of Binghamton are still trying to figure out the rampage on Friday in which a gunman killed 13 people before turning his weapon on himself. As CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor reports, so are we all …

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Jiverly Wong, a 41-year-old immigrant from Vietnam, often complained to friends and family about being criticized for his poor English skills.

In frustration, he dropped out of language classes at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, N.Y., where he returned on Friday armed with two handguns and wearing body armor.

After blocking the back door with his vehicle, Wong walked through the front door and began firing, killing one receptionist and wounding another, before moving on to a classroom filled with fellow immigrants and a teacher.

There, he took 12 more lives before taking his own.

One man whose wife was one of the victims asked, "What is it about American society that keeps turning out these kinds of people? What is it about our society that keeps driving people to do things like this?"

The shooting has stunned Binghamton, just as mass shootings of civilians have stunned so many communities.

You remember Columbine ten years ago: 15 dead. And then Virginia Tech two years ago: 32 dead.

But you may not remember the shootings that left ten dead in southeastern Alabama, or the eight who died in a North Carolina nursing home … the six dead in Santa Clara, California … and now Binghamton.

Then there's yesterday morning's shooting of three police officers in Pittsburgh, and the five children apparently murdered by their father in Washington State before he killed himself.

Six mass shootings that have taken 47 lives in just four weeks' time.

It seems that no town, big or small, is immune. But why? Is there more violence - and is our reaction to it changing?

"Tragically, I think many Americans have become more desensitized, more numb to the mass murder, to the massacre, because it is no longer that unusual," said Howard Kurtz, a media critic for the Washington Post.

"It doesn't mean that everybody doesn't get a feeling in their gut when they hear that a bunch of innocent people have died at the hands of one crazy gunman, but it is no longer a story that we've never heard of before," said Kurtz. "So there's a certain ritual to it. We know what to expect."

Part of what we expect are expressions of condolences from our political leaders … but that is where it all seems to stop.

CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen says that, in this climate, more is not likely to happen.

"I just don't think [as] a political issue that folks care as much about gun control right now as they do about economics," he said.

"The hard reality is that people are more concerned about their jobs and their 401(k)s and how they're going to pay for their school tuition for their kids, than they are about trying to put additional restrictions on guns."

Tonight in Binghamton, a candlelight vigil will be held. Hundreds will mourn the city's fallen … new statistics in an old story that just doesn't seem likely to go away.

[shabut1]

Yes we are numb after murdering hundreds and thousands all over the world in the name of war against terror. The real war needs to be fought within USA not in Iraq or Afghanistan or somewhere else. Wake up Americans!!!

[teiger25]

ok, normally I read the comments in these things and just let it go, but there is so much fear in this now, I simply can't. I have been doing my own study of gun laws and gun related deaths for quite some time, and there seem to be a few facts about the recent stories that were overlooked. First: the man in NY who walked into the American Civic Association in Binghamton, N.Y and shot all those people. It was well advertised that he had a permit for the guns, he did not, however, have a permit to carry the guns because NY nearly NEVER issues carry permits. He was already in violation of the law before he got there. (I know what some of you are thinking, I will cover the fact that he had the guns at all later).
second: The guy in PA who shot 3 police officers. He was already on parole, which means he could not legally own a firearm AT ALL, so what gun law are we going to enact to stop things like that from happening? It was already illegal for him to even hold a gun, much less own one, how much more can we do since that didn't stop him.
third: Columbine- A very close friend's cousin (and I might add an acquantance of mine) was killed in that tragedy. Nothing about what those two kids were doing leading up to that was even close to legal! Guns were already banned on school grounds by anybody, that didn't stop them.

now as for the sentiment about people who own guns legally and use them to kill, most of the cases I have seen (as some of the cases above show) the attackers are already illegal to own or carry before they even use them, however, I am not dumb enough to overlook the fact that some people have been legal and used them in a wrong way. I could go over statistics of how many people legally own or carry vs how many that legally own or carry use them wrong, but I won't bore you. What I will say, though, is that I have a friend who was killed by a drunk driver, using that to try to outlaw Cars (which, btw, the us gov't trains all it's agents to consider cars as a deadly weapon) would be unthinkable, but aren't there more drunk driving deaths in a year than handgun (I'll have to look that one up). We could try to outlaw alchohol, but that was already done in the 1920's and we all remember how bad that turned out (well, remember from history class anyway). It seems to me that outlawing handguns because of people who use them wrong would be similar to outlawing cars because of drunk or careless drivers.

Also, there's some other stories that people tend to leave out in these discusions, of which I can only recal one on short notice, but I know there are plenty more. Does anyone remember that church in Colorado in december of 07 (I think) that had 1 person killed and 4 wounded by a guy walking up the parking lot and opening fire. He was supplied to let many more than 5 rounds out in that group (and had gone to christian center earlier that morning and emptied the gun there and left). The only thing that stopped him was someone who was carrying a pistol shotting him before he could shoot anymore.
It seems to me that any stricter laws than what we have would only affect people who are legal owners, the majority of whom are stable individuals, and not people illegally owning or carrying already.

We need to step back and look at the whole picture, think things out. Don't let emotionalism dictate your decisions.

Well, that's all I've got, hope it helps.

[claydowner]

Bottom line up front: The NRA is a mafioso organization that condones and creates a culture of mass killing and mass murder by its political activism centered on single issue extremist politics. Destroy the NRA as an organization, put in place common sense gun control laws and we will see a steady decrease in the number gun massacres in American society. The NRA is similar to the mafia or other organized criminal organizations. The only difference is the NRA is a legal organization. The NRA must be attacked as a right winged neo-fascist organization that promotes a culture of mass murder. Nearly all of the 7,000 Mexicans killed in the drug wars in 2008 have been killed by semiautomatic pistols and assault rifles bought legally in America. What a fine neighbor we make for Mexico. This is disgraceful and vile and you can blame it on the NRA. Our politicians need to grow some balls and put this vile organization out of business. We need to support legitimate hunting firearms and firearms for self defense of one's home. But all semiautomatic pistols and rifles with 20 round ammo clips need to be abolished for civilian ownership. Why do civilians need to own weapons of war for hunting or self defense? Only an idiot or a sociopath wants to own a machine gun to go deer hunting. Yet these are the kinds of folks you commonly find in the NRA and in the GOP.

There will always be mentally challenged people in society who need help coping with their problems. Sadly, this story in America gets repeated over and over. The real problem is that the NRA has opposed common sense legislation like the assault weapons ban and eliminating gun show loop holes. The problem is that places like Binghampton, NY and Virgina Tech are that anyone can go purchase semiautomatic firearms with huge ammo clips. If you read the stories of mass murder in America you will notice a common thread from Columbine to Binghampton: semiautomatic pistols with large ammo magazines were used by the perpetrators. In many cases the murderer had a hundred rounds or more of ammunition shot off quickly in ammo clip after clip long before any police could arrive. This situation can only be solved by launching a full scale frontal attack on the NRA and wiping it from the face of the earth. The NRA is an organization that cheapens human life in America. We say we respect human life but every year 8,000 or more Americans are killed by handgun homicides and another 16,000 plus commit suicide by firearms. There are nearly 50,000 intentional injuries caused by firearms and another 20,000 accidents caused by firearms.

The American murder rate is many times higher than Canada, the UK, or Australia countries that severely limit civilian ownership of most guns especially semiautomatics. We incarcerate more people than any country except the old Soviet Union. In fact gun violence in America is higher than in any other industrialized country. We need common sense gun control laws. Right winged organizations like the NRA are only concerned with making money through single issue zealotry and fear mongering. Fear mongering is a business issue that provides a comfortable living for many lobbyists and activists in the Republican party. No civilian needs to own a semiautomatic pistol or an assault rifle or semiautomatic rifle capable of holding a large 20 or 30 round ammo clip. I am a retired career soldier and semiautomatic pistols and rifles with large ammo clips are weapons of war. Abolish semiautomatics, abolish gun shows, abolish the NRA and replace it with an organization that supports responsible hunting practices and firearms safety education programs. No one who is married with a job and a family needs to own an AK-47 or an AR-15/M-16 to go deer hunting or to protect their home. The only people who need to own an AK-47 or an AR-15 are thugs, killers, murderers, terrorists, and drug runners or someone who has a chip on their shoulder like someone who belongs to the NRA and the GOP.

[tomanyt]

Are We Numb To Mass Murder? I suppose we are. And what of it?

[elcantante1]

Jim said "This is what lawful concealed carry is all about.. "

Really? How come none of those guys are around when we have any of these mass shootings? Because most of the time the shooter is a gun owner. There are studies stating that not only CCWs do not reduce crime but might even increase it!~

"
State laws that allow private citizens to carry concealed weapons do not reduce crime and may even increase it, according to a study released Wednesday by the Brookings Institution."

See!~ And check this out about CCW holders in Texas!~


"However, an August 2000 study revealed that, from January 1996 through April 2000, the arrest rate for weapons-related offenses among Texas CCW license-holders was 66% higher than that of the general adult population of Texas.12 Concealed-carry license-holders are committing crimes, including murder, rape, assault and burglary.13 However, because in most states the gun lobby has made it difficult if not impossible for the public to determine if a shooter has a CCW license, the full story has not yet been told.14"

[CLoverNYC1]

Are we numb to mass murder?

Yes, when the victims aren't young, white, blonde and blue-eyed. It just doesn't hit home if they're not one of us.

One dead white teen is worth a million murdered black children in Darfur. That's how it works.

[Jim_Macklin]

In every case, when an armed madman begins a killing spree, he should be shot and stopped by at least one of the intended victims. This is what lawful concealed carry is all about.. After training, application, months long background checks, the law in most states now require that a citizen be issued a license for personal protection. The law in Kansas is title PERSONAL and FAMILY PROTECTION ACT [KSA 75.7c].
But in too many states, such as New York and California, getting a permit is at the discretion of some bureaucrat and very few citizens can get a permit.
For example, the state of Kansas has about the same population as Orange County, California but has now issued almost 20,000 licenses and OC has less than 1,500 .
BGut even in states that allow citizens their right to self-defense and the weapons needed to do so, there are too many places where the attitude is "die, you might hurt someone if you had a gun" rather than fight back and live.
The Bush administration approved a rule to allow citizens with a state issued license to carry a firearm for self-defense in National Parks, the Obama Administration has suspended this although rape, robbery and murder are common in National Parks.
To paraphrase that old song, "Don't worry, Die Happy" is the motto of change in our new government. I sincerely hope not..

[meinohio2]

gun control would not have mattered in this situation. He would have done everything necessary to qualify to buy a gun. "Pysch evaluations" can be easily passed, even if you are nuts. They know what answers are being looked for.

Even if he was very upset and complaining to all his friends and family - so ? Would anyone in their right mind suspect he would go bezerk and kill lots of people ? Doubtful. They might suggest he "seek counselling." Well how many angry people seek counselling? willingly? And who could afford it anyways?

This was just another case of an angry person who snapped and went bezerk. There is no way you are going to stop it from happening again.

But, many lives could have been saved perhaps, if at least one of those victims or survivors had been armed. (I do not own a gun and am not a gun fanatic)

It is very sad.

[recman55]

It allway estonishes me how ignorant some Americans are. Other countrys have as much a drug problem as we do. Yet they still dont have the murder problems as we do in America. And for those that think that its a drug problem should know that alcahol is responsible for more violance than drugs (other than the shooting on the streets caused by prohibition). Maybe we should be looking at other causes. Like, we as Americans are so critical about how people are in there private lives. We critisise everyone who don't do exactly as we do. that to me is one problem. We are suposed to be free but if anyone does something plitically incorrect "we"ridicule instead of alowing one to exersize their rights as Americans to free speach, free actions and yes freedom to bear arms. Remember guns do not kill, PEOPLE DO.

[Dgunner]

Anyone who ever served in vietnam got numb to mass murder the first two days there. This coldness has been passed along to the generations as a common denominator to solving problems. The tredmill mentioned in the post below is what keeps the sheep in line . The alcohol and drug abuse is due to frustration of living and working hard for very little. This is sorta like communism except amrica doesn't support communism but daily leans toward the same pronciple because the common wealth have become engourged with hate towards thier government. The responsibility of uphiolding the constitution doesn't lie in the hands of the wealthy but on the backs of the laborers and the load is getting to heavy to bare when the tare weight already has them crawling. IT IS GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER AND YOU BETTER GET RIGHT WITH YOUR NIEGHBOR YOU MAY NEED THEM AND THEM YOU.

[knyghtwolf]

The problem today that will plague us until we are extinct is that we have too many "experts" and not enough heros. Too many airborne pathogens are polluting not only the land we live on, the water we drink, and the food we eat, but it's changing our brain chemistry as well. Too much structured environment and not enough natural living space changes perspectives. Since the onset of organized religion, we have gotten worse, believe in hell, follow MY text or else. People, there are over 875 religions for ONE god and tautology is the founding psychological/sociological premise that supports it best. Freedom is a great concept as long as you do it MY WAY, as long as your skin is a certain color, or you are strictly heterosexual, or a democrat or a republican. Have any of you people ever asked yourself why were put on this earth? If you believe it to be born, work for others to make them rich, then retire to nothing but a pitence to survive on until you die, you have surely served your master well. Want to know the secret as to why drugs and alcohol are so popular, because it numbs you to the tredmill you walk, run, and eventually die on. The Spirit gave us all life, freedom to be best to ourselves and pass that along to others, some idiots decided to build fences and start charging us to walk our life paths and we fell for it. You want the true evil in life, ask the "experts" all the heros left the building.

[enlightened1]

The American population has permitted itself to be deceived by the pro-gun powers in this country. What they don't realize is that anyone of them could be the victim of some slightly deranged or distracted person who has his or her hands on a violence multiplying device, AKA fire arm. Anyone who does not object to the current situation in this country in wich we are drowining in a sea of firearms, is giving a form of de facto approval to the current needless carnage of innocent people in this country. Why is it that in this country in general 60,000+ people annually destroyed by firearms, whereas if we look at specific venues such as in airports and in the supreme courrt building and other courthouses in thiis country, the human destruction rate is much lower, essentially zero. Could it possibly be that guns are essentially banned in these locations? WOW, who would have guessed this? And the fact that the strip of weekly (daily?) gun slaughter of innocent people seems to be an American phenomon, makes one wonder if the European and Japanese aren't on the right track in severely limiting the access to firearms by ordinary citizens. And what is the lesson learned by these events. I would say likttle when I see states like Oklahoma considering making the carrying of deadly weapons on their state school grounds legal.(Which just goes to show that education and intellligence are not necessarily related.

I congratulate CBS news for having the courage to publish the article about us becoming desensitized to violence.

All news media should be required to have a gun violence victim tracking counter on thier masthead or splash page, So people could not ignore the on-going appaling deluge of destruction occuring.

Anyone with a firearms license should be required to perform community service to help reduce the burden and suffering of the next of kin of gun violence victims. Moreover since this present situation results from a situation brought about by that part of the population that believes they can simply not liveout their quota of potentiall violence, they should be placed in an assigned risk group in which their insurance premiums would be increased to cover the additional cost associated with the cost of rehabiliation of the victims and the cost of taking care of the needs of the next of kin.

[Marie Zarankevich]

There is a theory that Mother Nature has ways of controlling populations of Her creatures. -- Mass murder may be among those ways, along with disease, starvation, and disaster. -- Perhaps this is just another one of the tools She uses to keep a grip on planetary livestock.

[speakinup]

Are we numbr to spending TRILLIONS of dollars ?

[mecanik-2009]

I almost side swiped another car the other day. I was just picking my nose and this car almost ran into me. Was that you erasmus111 I thought I recognized you.

[Hyptnotized_Liberals]

Apparently we are numb to mass murder. On 9-11-01, 3,000 Americans were mass murdered by Islamic fundamentalists, yet here we are 8 years later pacifying and appeasing the evil that is Islamic fundamentalism.

[UR_Majesty]

I think octomom's children are save. Thats how she sucks money from us tax payers.

[UR_Majesty]

Obama is using the media to sway people on guns control.
Make no mistake about it , Obama plans to disarm America.
Disarm and total control.

ZOMBIE --- Has no will of his own. Walks around blindly , with dead eyes.
Follows orders, not knowing or caring what he is doing. Like Democrats...

[payasyougo]

The only thing we are numb to is our government saying one thing and then doing another.

[payasyougo]

"The cause is the guns. And we can all see what the effect is."
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Actually, 99.9999% of US murderers were educated by the US public education system. That's a pretty strong statistic proving that the US education system turns out murderers. The cause is public schools.