It is what it is...or is it?

“There are no lessons to be learned from Littleton” by Gary Kleck reflects exactly what the title suggests. In contrast, I feel that there is a very large lesson to be learned from Gary Kleck. This essay appears to be a clear-headed, insightful explanation of how we, the intended audience are manipulated in times of turmoil. Kleck explains how we are guided by the media sensation and the reactions of politicians into believing that they are trying to learn from these acts, and to use this knowledge to protect us from seeing this type of violence again in the future.  He explains that this is impossible and will never happen. Even worse, the attention given to these types of rare events is likely taking away from less extraordinary issues such as bullying and teen dating violence.

To begin with Kleck reminds us that the people that we are counting on to give us “the diagnoses and solutions” (211) immediately following these massacres are the news media. A group that is largely untrained in the area of crime analysis. These people are not only unqualified, but the causes and solutions offered by them in the “aftermath of such events are especially likely to be irrelevant or even counterproductive” (211).

Of course, when something as tragic as a mass killing at a school occurs, we can hardly be unaffected emotionally. We send our kids to school each day, we think they are safe, and for the most part, they are. So when the unusual does happen, we can’t help but think...this could be any school, our school. When the government steps forward and ‘does’ something, such as “making murder on school property a capital offence” (213), we feel as though they are looking out for our kids. But are they? What difference will this law make if “premeditated murder, regardless of location” (213) is already a capital offence? It makes no difference to the safety of our kids, but in the emotional glow, we feel as though they really care.

I wonder how it is that politicians can ‘use’ these tragedies to “crack down” (213) on the irrelevant issue of selling guns to our children.  Kleck points out that none of these children bought the guns used at the school shootings. They were stolen, bought legitimately and given as gifts by their parents. So what is the purpose of the “crack down”? It does make the politician look good. It does make us feel safer. But it doesn’t stop the problem.

One of the most important points that Kleck makes is that while we are busy focusing on the “freakish events” (215) that the news media provides to us, we are missing good opportunities to study “ordinary crime and violence” (215). As long as this continues, we will see actions that make us feel better and can be quickly implemented, rather than those that will actually make us safer (215). I feel that because of Kleck’s essay, I will be a more critical thinker.  I for one will pay more attention to the details when the next media sensation hits.  Will you?