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Those were questions I've been thinking about. As the one month anniversary has already passed (I can't believe its been a month) it seems the tragedy is still very fresh in the minds of many. These questions are enough to make a person go mad. I nearly did. I did something I rarely ever do especially as a reporter. I tuned out. I turned it off. I clicked on a different webpage. I really tried to distance myself from anything Sandy Hook. But it didn't go away. The fact is I just couldn't grasp what the people of Newtown and the parents of the children were going through. Anytime I caught a glimpse of one of those precious child's face it was like I was sucker punched in the gut. I've never even been sucker punched in the gut but I imagine the feeling is similar. I didn't talk to many people about it besides the occasional, "It's terrible," "I feel so bad for the families." and "How could this happen" if I found myself in a conversation that turned to Sandy Hook. I didn't post or comment much on Facebook. For all that know me, I'm what you would call a "heavy facebook user." But this time. This time was different. I considered that maybe it was because I have two children but I realized what it actually was. I'm becoming desensitized to sensational news. Not the tragedy or horror of the incident but the reporting of it.
We are now able to watch things unfold in real time via social networking like twitter and all the news channels are like a pack of hungry wolves tearing away at the flesh of the information hoping for an actual bite. I have no actual numbers but I'd be interested to know how much of the first released information gets redacted because it was incorrect. Two big ones. Mom was a kindergarten teacher. Nope. Also the media released a name of the shooter with no actual evidence it was correct. It wasn't. Imagine you are at work and all over national and maybe world news you are being accused of shooting children. How do you recover from that? It's the saturation that is wearing at me. When 9/11 happened I could not tear myself away. The only other time I remember being glued to the tv like that was the OJ Simpson Bronco chase.
It has become obvious to me that the amount of coverage these tragedies are getting are probably counterproductive to preventing them. There's all this talk about gun control, better security and better mental illness awareness in the aftermath of the shootings. But the days immediately following we are forced to see the shooter's face on the tv or footage is released from security cameras. People are asking why they haven't released the security footage at Sandy Hook? Why people?! Why do we need to see a very disturbed young man shooting children? What does that do? Remember Virginia Tech? We had to watch that kid's death video with him ranting about what he did. The tape wasn't in the hands of the network for more than 10 seconds before they slapped it on the air. Did that shed any light on the incident or help with anyone's healing? Doubtful. Just opened up already bleeding wounds. Is there any reason this is happening? Is it infamy? These shooters are such cowards that they do these horrific things and then kill themselves (well most do, some stick it out). Knowing people will know who they are even if they are dead seems to be good enough. I'm sorry but that is a f'ed up way of thinking and wanting attention. One thing we never get to know is why they did it. Why did they have to take so many innocent lives with them?
On the other hand, if we don't give enough attention to these shootings are we being insensitive? Our society has created a monster which we continue to feed because we don't know what else to do. We've gotten so used to getting all the information instantly, could we wait for actual facts? This is still a time for grieving for many. This is also a time to open up communication with your children to tell them that there are people who do bad things but they are many people who do good things and those are the things worth living for.
There's another kind of desensitizing going on that isn't related to over saturation of information. It's the conspiracy theorists. Now, I think it's good to question things and never to take anything at face value, but for Pete's sake, Sandy Hook being a huge government hoax??!! I might question the assassination of JFK, I have questions about 9/11 too and yes,I think Roswell probably happened but this? Hiring Crisis Actors to go on national tv to claim their pretend child was killed? That doesn't even make sense. This is going to far for me. It's irresponsible and dangerous. I read that the parents of one of the victims have to move because they can see the shooter's house from their own. I refuse to use his name. Imagine driving home and seeing the house the person who shot your child every. single. day. Then having your very identity questioned and the existence of your child? It makes me want to puke. Or the poor mother who had to identify her son whose jaw was blown off, then finding out there's a whole bunch of assholes saying it didn't happen. And people are questioning things like what gun was used or when a facebook page was made? WHO GIVES A SHIT? That's a desensitization I hope never happens to me. When people lose empathy they lose the ability to comfort as well. And right now we all need some comfort.
For anyone wanting more information on the stupidest video ever made and all the other Sandy Hook rumors visit this reputable site:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/newtown.asp
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