White men have much to discuss about mass shootings

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Charlotte and Harriet Childress are researchers and consultants on social and political issues. They are the co-authors of “Clueless at the Top: While the Rest of Us Turn Elsewhere for Life, Liberty, and Happiness,” on outdated hierarchies in American culture.

Imagine if African American men and boys were committing mass shootings month after month, year after year. Articles and interviews would flood the media, and we’d have political debates demanding that African Americans be “held accountable.” Then, if an atrocity such as the Newtown, Conn., shootings took place and African American male leaders held a news conference to offer solutions, their credibility would be questionable. The public would tell these leaders that they need to focus on problems in their own culture and communities.

But when the criminals and leaders are white men, race and gender become the elephant in the room.

Nearly all of the mass shootings in this country in recent years — not just Newtown, Aurora, Fort Hood, Tucson and Columbine — have been committed by white men and boys. Yet when the National Rifle Association (NRA), led by white men, held a news conference after the Newtown massacre to advise Americans on how to reduce gun violence, its leaders’ opinions were widely discussed.

Unlike other groups, white men are not used to being singled out. So we expect that many of them will protest it is unfair if we talk about them. But our nation must correctly define their contribution to our problem of gun violence if it is to be solved.

When white men try to divert attention from gun control by talking about mental health issues, many people buy into the idea that the United States has a national mental health problem, or flawed systems with which to address those problems, and they think that is what produces mass shootings.

But women and girls with mental health issues are not picking up semiautomatic weapons and shooting schoolchildren. Immigrants with mental health issues are not committing mass shootings in malls and movie theaters. Latinos with mental health issues are not continually killing groups of strangers.

...societal and cultural programming makes it easy for conservative, white-male-led groups to convince the nation that an organization led by white men, such as the NRA or the tea party movement, can represent the interests of the entire nation when, in fact, they predominately represent only their own experiences and perspectives.

If life were equitable, white male gun-rights advocates would face some serious questions to assess their degree of credibility and objectivity. We would expect them to explain:

What facets of white male culture create so many mass shootings?

Why are so many white men and boys producing and entertaining themselves with violent video games and other media?

Why do white men buy, sell and manufacture guns for profit; attend gun shows; and demonstrate for unrestricted gun access disproportionately more than people of other ethnicities or races?

Why are white male congressmen leading the fight against gun control?

If Americans ask the right questions on gun issues, we will get the right answers. These answers will encourage white men to examine their role in their own culture and to help other white men and boys become healthier and less violent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/white-men-have-much-to-discuss-about-mass-shootings/2013/03/29/7b001d02-97f3-11e2-814b-063623d80a60_story.html?hpid=z2

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The NRA wins.

African Americans allowed themselves to be gerrymandered into political impotence. The NRA is not.

Deal with it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The NRA wins.

Only a severely deluded person counts 20 murdered children as a win.

The NRA consists entirely of severely deluded persons using these crimes as membership drives. Disgusting.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Unlike other groups, white men are not used to being singled out. So we expect that many of them will protest it is unfair if we talk about them. But our nation must correctly define their contribution to our problem of gun violence if it is to be solved.

I hope that means there will some money and studies dedicated to the problem to see why white males are pushed to the edge by an uncaring society to commit these heinous acts. It saddens the heart to see a group so disenfranchised.

By the way the prison population of white mass murderers is represented way beyond their percentages in the general population.. Also when the FBI creates a profile on a mass murderer they almost always assume they are white - when will this stereotyping end?

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Charlotte and Harriet Childress are researchers and consultants on social and political issues. They are the co-authors of “Clueless at the Top: While the Rest of Us Turn Elsewhere for Life, Liberty, and Happiness,” on outdated hierarchies in American culture.

Imagine if African American men and boys were committing mass shootings month after month, year after year. Articles and interviews would flood the media, and we’d have political debates demanding that African Americans be “held accountable.” Then, if an atrocity such as the Newtown, Conn., shootings took place and African American male leaders held a news conference to offer solutions, their credibility would be questionable. The public would tell these leaders that they need to focus on problems in their own culture and communities.

But when the criminals and leaders are white men, race and gender become the elephant in the room.

Nearly all of the mass shootings in this country in recent years — not just Newtown, Aurora, Fort Hood, Tucson and Columbine — have been committed by white men and boys. Yet when the National Rifle Association (NRA), led by white men, held a news conference after the Newtown massacre to advise Americans on how to reduce gun violence, its leaders’ opinions were widely discussed.

Unlike other groups, white men are not used to being singled out. So we expect that many of them will protest it is unfair if we talk about them. But our nation must correctly define their contribution to our problem of gun violence if it is to be solved.

When white men try to divert attention from gun control by talking about mental health issues, many people buy into the idea that the United States has a national mental health problem, or flawed systems with which to address those problems, and they think that is what produces mass shootings.

But women and girls with mental health issues are not picking up semiautomatic weapons and shooting schoolchildren. Immigrants with mental health issues are not committing mass shootings in malls and movie theaters. Latinos with mental health issues are not continually killing groups of strangers.

...societal and cultural programming makes it easy for conservative, white-male-led groups to convince the nation that an organization led by white men, such as the NRA or the tea party movement, can represent the interests of the entire nation when, in fact, they predominately represent only their own experiences and perspectives.

If life were equitable, white male gun-rights advocates would face some serious questions to assess their degree of credibility and objectivity. We would expect them to explain:

What facets of white male culture create so many mass shootings?

Why are so many white men and boys producing and entertaining themselves with violent video games and other media?

Why do white men buy, sell and manufacture guns for profit; attend gun shows; and demonstrate for unrestricted gun access disproportionately more than people of other ethnicities or races?

Why are white male congressmen leading the fight against gun control?

If Americans ask the right questions on gun issues, we will get the right answers. These answers will encourage white men to examine their role in their own culture and to help other white men and boys become healthier and less violent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/white-men-have-much-to-discuss-about-mass-shootings/2013/03/29/7b001d02-97f3-11e2-814b-063623d80a60_story.html?hpid=z2

Post designed to denigrate a widely identifiable whatever and against TOS. Oh wait it's ok if it's white folk and Christans. LOL Drive on Soldier

Only a severely deluded person counts 20 murdered children as a win.

The NRA consists entirely of severely deluded persons using these crimes as membership drives. Disgusting.

Actually the membership numbers took off when the clown in chief and his circle of libtards in the legislature started babbling about limiting evil looking guns and magazine capacity.

[GandD 5,966]

Post designed to denigrate a widely identifiable whatever and against TOS. Oh wait it's ok if it's white folk and Christans. LOL Drive on

You're right

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

You're right

and meanwhile back at the bat cave they shut down a post about the politics of wolf populations and selective pack thinning..

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

and meanwhile back at the bat cave they shut down a post about the politics of wolf populations and selective pack thinning..

They had to do something. Gary was responding to his own posts. I really fear for the residents of Vermont when he puts on his favorite pink dress, and Texas ten gallon white lace fringed hat with matching white patent leather boots, then takes to the street armed with pair of pearl handled pistols.

[GandD 5,966]

They had to do something. Gary was responding to his own posts. I really fear for the residents of Vermont when he puts on his favorite pink dress, and Texas ten gallon white lace fringed hat with matching white patent leather boots, then takes to the street armed with pair of pearl handled pistols.

Funny. Nice picture painting. One request, can they be ivory pistols? Feeling a little Patton sentimental just now.

and meanwhile back at the bat cave they shut down a post about the politics of wolf populations and selective pack thinning..

Yes that was odd

[X Factor 1,112]

Prejudice sucks

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Prejudice sucks

No prejudice is normal and many times is very valid,when based on actual life experiences. everyone is prejudice to some degree.

Racism sucks

[X Factor 1,112]

No prejudice is normal and many times is very valid,when based on actual life experiences. everyone is prejudice to some degree.

Racism sucks

True. But prejudice and discrimination against race, religion(beliefs), gender, age etc also suck big time

[duraaraa 203]

True. But prejudice and discrimination against race, religion(beliefs), gender, age etc also suck big time

I never really discriminate based on race or gender, but I certainly do make judgements about people's intelligence/logic skills based on religion.

If I run into a Scientologist, for instance... I would judge the person as gullible. Perhaps I shouldn't. Perhaps Lord Xenu will prove me wrong in the afterworld.

Note: I don't mean anything offensive to Scientologists -- you believe what you believe. Such things simply don't make sense to me, and that applies to most of the major world religions as well.

Edited June 10, 2013 by duraaraa

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

True. But prejudice and discrimination against race, religion(beliefs), gender, age etc also suck big time

Once again valid in some cases.

When I see people in funny robes playing tambourines on the street I assume they are wing nut religious jobs panhandling money and avoid them, same with young men in ties on bicycles.

When I see young black males in my home town with tat's, pants hanging off their butts and dreads, once again I avoid them like the plague. They account for about 90% of our crime. Valid Prejudice

When I see a woman in the gym, I assume she is not going to come behind me on the bench press with three plates on each side of the bar so I take them off. Valid Prejudice.

Three very valid prejudices based on sex, religion or race.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

This thread still lives!

No, I was not suspended, just taking a few days to leave the safety of the forest and venture unarmed back into the war zone, that void of human kindness and fresh drinking water, known as the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Edited June 11, 2013 by The Patriot