Stop giving mass shooters the attention they crave
By now, it should be abundantly obvious that there are unhinged copycat killers who crave their 20 minutes of fame. News outlets and social media sites should immediately stop reporting the carnage in detail and especially avoid posting images and discussing the shooter’s background and possible motivation.
Sure, report that there was a shooting, that’s certainly newsworthy, but don’t give the killer a stage with a spotlight. It only encourages others. While it won’t stop these horrific mass murders entirely, it would no doubt reduce the number of whackos seeking attention by denying them the attention they desperately desire.
FRANK MANFRE, SMYRNA
Let’s do our part to end gun violence madness
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s mass shooting coverage shows what all sane citizens want — to end this madness.
The solutions lie not with the government, but with individuals, families, the community, schools and all organizations that touch and shape the values of young people. They hold the key.
We must demonstrate by our words and actions that we value the sanctity of life. Follow the Ten Commandments regardless of whether we believe in God. Families must limit screen time for the young and take responsibility for what children watch and the video games they play. Demand that Hollywood end its obsession with violence on the screen.
Single out insensitivity to violence and condemn it. Enforce existing local, state and federal gun laws.
It will take generations to reverse this disregard for life. The solution starts with each of us.
HUGH PENN, SANDY SPRINGS
It’s evil to keep silent on guns to stay in power
Silence on the recent mass shooting. All the daily murders are the fault of elected Democrats, of course, hence the need to nullify elections.
No, what is needed is more guns. Without any regulations. Everyone should be armed (actually proposed!) That will solve it! Perhaps guns should be handed out from bushel baskets on street corners and armor-piercing ammo, of course.
White men in suits and sports coats, clinging to power and privilege by division and fear, are the very picture of Hannah Arendt’s “banality of evil.” Evil. Not you, not your children, not even our children are worth what a society of guns, fear and murder can give us: Power.
We’ll take the guns any day. Their blood be on our hands.
HOWARD GRIMES, ATLANTA
System is rigged -- by Trump and others who can afford it
The rigged system that Mr. Trump readily admitted that he benefits from is being kept in place by mostly wealthy white men in power.
It’s a system that has been designed so that wealthy people can hire very expensive and smart lawyers and accountants, all educated in elite schools like Wharton and Harvard Law School, among many others. These elite schools teach you how to use the system to hide money and get exponentially wealthy.
These options are not available to the average person. Wealthy and educated Republicans understand this, and they also understand that conservative media, except for maybe The Wall Street Journal, spreads lots of disinformation which they also know will be believed by many average Republicans.
Wealthy and educated Republicans don’t want to lose this. The only way they can keep it is to get people to vote for them by telling them lies. Mr. Trump would be nowhere without his expensive lawyers and accountants, which he can only afford because of his daddy’s money.
MICHAEL DE GIVE, DECATUR
