Repeal Gun-Free Schools Zones, Patriot Act Advantages; Vaccine for Mental Illness??? – SDP #11
I center this narrative on analyzing three recent school safety mass media articles to reveal how sensationalized headings fail to match the content of the articles, thus creating a disservice to readers and further eroding public trust in the mainstream media’s ability to accurately report safety news. I identify the authors’ biases and specifically expose their attempts to deploy fear narratives to persuade the public toward accepting rhetoric that schools are in a default status of “unsafe” and the antidotes are in the forms of legislation, obscure software or genetically modifying humans to be stress-resistant flesh machines shielded from the horrors of trauma.
“Gun-Free School Zones” signs grow in the boulevards of every school in America. Invasive – and impervious to weed wackers! They’ve been stoutly rooted since 1990. The article states (per quote from Rep. Massie): “Gun-free school zones are ineffective.” Yeah, I agree. Everyone agrees. The bill doesn’t deter school shooters, much like a non-smoking sign won’t discourage an arsonist. The bill was a paper tiger and it’s not like we don’t have laws against committing homicide. So yes, by all means, trash the GFSZA! However, Rep. Massie goes on to make a statement that simply isn’t true. “They [GFSZA] make people less safe by inviting criminals into target rich, no-risk environments and prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves, and create vulnerable populations that are targeted by criminals.” Yikes. No, Rep. Massie. Repealing the bill won’t be like Gotham welcoming back Batman. Nothing will change except it will be easier to mow the school boulevard.
HEADLINE #2: D.C. online watchdog group spots Wisconsin school threat on Twitter by Savanna Tomei [WKOW 27] (January 14, 2017).
This is a terrific example of an advertisement pretending to be an article. You’ll be amazed at what I uncovered after exploring “The Tactical Institute” website – the self-funded “group” (schools must pay for its services) that, per its website “monitors the entire Web for threats to our clients”, including something referred to as “The Dark Web” which apparently is so secretive that is undetectable by search engines. FYI – “Dark” is a persuasion word – it is intended to frighten you. Per its website, TI appears to have a knack for facilitating inter-agency networking – even though, as I clarify, such provisions are already provided to law enforcement agencies via the ‘The USA PATRIOT ACT’ (which I talk about).
HEADLINE #3: Preventing Mental Illness With a Stress Vaccine by Danielle Elliot [The Atlantic] (November 26, 2016).
The headline’s claim is absurd and a complete mismatch from the article which unfortunately bends immune system research being conducted, in part, by Dr. Rebecca Brachman. Dr. Brachman was a student at Columbine High School during the infamous 1999 shooting. She has devoted her life toward better understanding stress, the immune system and mental health. The deductions penned by the article’s author are beyond sensationalism – they are hurtful to persons suffering from PTSD, such as rescue workers and soldiers, as it is implied that one day a simple vaccine will create an “ideal world” where people would be immune from debilitating trauma-induced mental health conditions. Did I mention that current clinical trials involve 12 mice?
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