In the aftermath of last week’s shooting at a community college in Oregon there are new calls for federal gun control legislation and a strong movement to deny perpetrators of such crimes the notoriety they seek.
Connecticut Senators Blumenthal and Murphy were out front at the end of the week calling for new national gun laws in the strongest terms they’ve used to date. Blumenthal charging the U.S. Congress with “complicity” through inaction in the many gun deaths that have occurred since Sandy Hook.
Meanwhile, journalists are struggling with a new debate over whether the names of those responsible for mass shootings should be identified in the media. The #dontsayhisname campaign got a strong boost from Douglas County Oregon Sheriff John Hanlin, who argues many of the young men responsible for the nation’s most recent shooting rampages are seeking fame.
Here’s a sampling of opinions as the debate develops:
Why It’s Important to Name the Shooter – Poynter.org
Kelly, Cooper Correct Not to Name Names – Mediaite.com
More Police Refusing to Identify – AP via Boston Herald
It Doesn’t Matter What He Wanted – Slate
