by William Skink
I’ve been wanting to write about the revived effort to enact some measure of gun control after the school shooting in Florida, but it’s clear that any criticism of the noble teenagers who were immediately thrust into the spotlight will not be tolerated by the people hoping to use the survivors to enact their agenda.
My first problem is the laser focus on the weapon used by the killer. In all the noise that’s occurred since the shooting I have heard virtually nothing from corporate media about antidepressants.
After the Las Vegas shooting, Business Insider did mention psychotropic drugs:
As reports are now emerging of the Las Vegas country music festival shooter Stephen Paddock being prescribed the mind-altering sedative-hypnotic, diazepam, the mental health industry watchdog Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR) said this should play a role in ongoing law enforcement investigations and government response to increasing acts of senseless violence in the country. Police have been baffled by the motive of 64-year-old Paddock, whose mass shooting on October 3, where he killed 59 and wounded more than 500, was the worst in U.S. history. But CCHR says that for the public’s protection governments need to ignore psychiatric-pharmaceutical interests and investigate the potential link between psychotropic drugs and both the Las Vegas shooting and similar acts of violence.
The potential side-effects of anti-depressants is unfortunately not a big part of the discussion after Florida. Instead, it’s “assault rifles” and whether or not assault rifles should available for purchase.
Another aspect of this story anyone should find extremely troubling is how many warnings authorities had that this kid was about to blow. There were direct warnings from people who knew the shooter. The FBI failed to follow up. There was explicit evidence the killer wanted to shoot up a school. He used his real name in a Youtube comment saying essentially I want to become a school shooter. But authorities failed.
And gun-control supporters want to give the authorities more authority to regulate guns?
One thing the kids in this tragedy are starting to learn is that tragedies are great opportunities for reducing rights. Most of the young people in the spotlight weren’t even alive in 2001 when America was attacked by Saudi Arabians. They probably have no idea why we take off our shoes at the airport.
But after Spring Break, when everyone at that school will be required to wear clear backpacks, they will start to understand. Even David Hogg is starting to understand, and he doesn’t like it:
“After we come back from Spring Break, they’re requiring us all to have clear backpacks…it’s unnecessary. It’s embarrassing for a lot of the students,” he said.
The way this was received on Twitter was essentially, “So, how does it feel to be have your rights limited by common sense?”
I agree with Hogg, clear backpacks aren’t the answer. But then again, I don’t think going after assault rifles is the answer, either.