Discussion What do you think about the idea that mass shooters should not be identified publicly?

[mikeymikec]

On various occasions I've heard the idea that when mass shooters are identified in the press that it gives them more attention than they deserve / immortalising them to some extent especially if they died that day, that instead the press should say something like (and this is my own idea here), "yet another sad white male likely labouring under the misapprehension that killing people with his penis extension imbues him with some kind of power over his miserable and failed life..." "... we're going to refer to him as Racist Fuckwit Of 30-08-2023".

I'm wondering if it might be worth a shot.

Thoughts?

 

[Pens1566]

There are pros and cons to not naming them.

Pros: no fame/publicity for them
Cons: you get the GQP/incel/Nazi constituency claiming the shooter was an illegal alien drag performer that worked as an AOC staffer and had 4 third trimester abortions last year

 

[sandorski]

Impractical. We need to know what happened, this would encourage not reporting on it at all.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I say report everything relevant there is to know about the person (age, nationality, race, motive, socioeconomic background, criminal background, etc), but not the name. Name isn't applicable, only data points.

 

[soulcougher73]

I'd release the name only when it's confirmed though.

 

[Moonbeam]

I believe the Western Culture we live in is a mental illness producing machine that is profoundly difficult to alter because we are all mentally ill, culturally induced to a state of blindness as to our real condition and that therefore there is little solid psychological wisdom within us upon which to draw for answers. Self hate would have destroyed us as children were we not to have developed massively armored egos we identify as our selves. Who wants to journey through hell to retrieve the golden fleece when it requires the death of our savior, the wonderful illusion we tell ourselves we are? What to do if the facts are that we not only do not care, but that we are profoundly motivated not to care.

That the world is full of problems demanding solution produces just the kind of emotional stress that helps to keep the ego guard at full alert. We imagine so we can justify. Humility is a lost art.

 

[mikeymikec]

Cons: you get the GQP/incel/Nazi constituency claiming the shooter was an illegal alien drag performer that worked as an AOC staffer and had 4 third trimester abortions last year

Pretty sure you get that already, don't you?

 

[Greenman]

Impractical. We need to know what happened, this would encourage not reporting on it at all.

Lot's of shootings go unreported. Some places have two or three shootings a week and no one much cares.

 

[HomerJS]

There are pros and cons to not naming them.

Pros: no fame/publicity for them
Cons: you get the GQP/incel/Nazi constituency claiming the shooter was an illegal alien drag performer that worked as an AOC staffer and had 4 third trimester abortions last year

In the cases where groups of specific are targeted like minorities and Jews people need to see the perp. Maybe not mention their name.

 

[pmv]

I don't think it's practical to conceal their name entirely. But (and the media already seems to do this to a significant extent, at least compared to how it was in the past) it makes sense to not foreground them and constantly mention them by name (and reprint their "manifesto" - that they all seem to have these days).

 

[eelw]

Anderson Cooper has had this policy since Sandyhook.

 

[nickqt]

How about immediate investigations into their closest family and friends to determine if they were grossly negligent in their relationship with the shooter, e.g. some family or close friend knows about their descent into murderous rage without speaking out about it. Say said shitbag is posting specific plans on Facebook or Truth Social, or hell, alluding to it...and family/friends blithely ignore it while knowing said shitbag has an arsenal and the means to carry out an attack.

Society is supposed to police itself unless you want a Police State.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

The ones who go to court will have to be identified.

The media doesn't have to pass that information on.

 

[Exterous]

I don't think it's practical to conceal their name entirely. But (and the media already seems to do this to a significant extent, at least compared to how it was in the past) it makes sense to not foreground them and constantly mention them by name (and reprint their "manifesto" - that they all seem to have these days).

I believe there's been some research that, for some of these killers, the knowledge their message will be broadcast so widely is a big part of the motivation. And copycat killing us a thing. They see all the attention that 'heroic martyr' got over there and start planning their big chance to make a mark on society

 

[vi edit]

It'd be nice to know if I had a different opinion if we were allowed to actually do research and publish data on gun violence.