I was going to blog about his O ness knocking em dead in Europe, but the tragic reality of A-merry-can life interrupted my thoughts and I decided to blog about yet another A-merry-can massacre, instead.
First, I want to thank my man Greg Fuller for sending me the following story:
"Published Mon, Mar 30, 2009 2:06pm ET by Eric Boehlert
And that the press, aside from downplaying what have now become routine, gun-related killing sprees that dot the nation, has completely walked away from even raising the issue of gun control in the wake of the rampages?
And that the press, aside from downplaying what have now become routine, gun-related killing sprees that dot the nation, has completely walked away from even raising the issue of gun control in the wake of the rampages?
The latest proof came in the wake of the carnage that unfolded in Carthage, North Carolina, on Sunday when a heavily armed suspect, Robert Stewart, entered a local retirement home and began randomly shooting patients and employees with a high-powered rifle. Eight were killed and three others were wounded before police subdued the man. The local police chief described the killing scene as "unimaginable, horrific, everything you can possible imagine that is bad in this world."
The thin coverage the story has received nationwide has been rather astounding. According to TVeyes.com, in the 24 hours since news broke about the bloody killing spree, it has received just 180 mentions on cable and network television, combined (i.e. ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, CNN Headline News, MSNBC, and NBC.)
By contrast, the flood that didn't materialize as feared in Fargo, North Dakota, over the weekend received nearly 250 mentions during the same time span. So the flood that didn't happen got more coverage than than the killing rampage that left eight people dead in North Carolina.
Also, TV mentions of General Motors in the last 24 hours, prompted by the news its CEO is being forced out, far outnumbered the news mentions of the nursing home killing spree.
As for a discussion of gun control in the wake of the nursing home massacre, forget about it. It never came up on TV. The press has no interest in dissecting our Rampage Nation.
UPDATE: As a reader notes, there was another killing rampage over the weekend. This one inside a Santa Clara, California home; 6 dead (including three children), one critically injured.
To date, there have been just seven mentions of the story on cable and network news, according to TVeyes.com"
UPDATE AGAIN: Now we can add Binghamton, New York to this ugly mix of depravity and apathy. (Isn't it ironic that this latest massacre was carried out in place where people studied to become citizens?) Although maybe because it was a slow news day, this shooting seemed to have gotten a little more publicity than some of the others we have had recently. Even his O ness commented about it all the way from Europe. Poor O man, he has got to be so embarrassed for his country and its culture of guns and violence. Not to say other countries don't have their share, lord knows they do.--Just look what happened in Germany not to long ago-- But here in A-merry-ca it just seems like the norm. And we have a billion dollar lobby group in this country known as the NRA who will stop at nothing to keep the status quo: Murder mayhem and massacres. At least in other countries you get a sense that there is true outrage when something like this happens and the governments in those countries take pro active steps to prevent it from ever happening again. Not here, our poli-tricksters need money to get elected, and if that money comes from the NRA with their facile arguments for more guns, well, then, so be it.
"Michelle and I were shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the act of senseless violence in Binghamton, NY today..."
Get used to it Mr. President, there will be more to come.
