“This is the largest mass shooting in the United States where the shooters were still at large after the crime was committed. Think about that for a minute. From Columbine to Virginia Tech to Fort Hill to Aurora, all the shooters were either killed or apprehended on site. But the person or people responsible for shooting 19 Americans are still free. So why am I allowed to go outside? Where's the city quarantine or FBI and Homeland Security presence for this act of "terrorism"? Because this is an act of domestic terrorism right? Just because the alleged shooter was wearing a white tee and jeans does that suddenly make the shooting a gang-related affair? And we all know how irrelevant gang-related shootings are in America. The Mother's Day shooting is so irrelevant that politicians haven't even bothered to mention it to further their anti-gun agendas. If the shootings aren't even important enough for politicians to spin, then it's truly reached a black hole of irrelevance. Did I mention the shooter is still on the loose? I have? Just checking. Police have released photos and video of one of the suspects, but he is still at large. Now take a moment and imagine a Mother's Day Parade in the suburbs of Denver, a neighborhood in Edina or a plaza in Austin where bullets rain down on civilians and even hit children. I can't help but imagine the around-the-clock news coverage. And I can't help but think it's because most of America can identify with the fear of being bombarded with gunfire while just enjoying a parade in the middle of town. But America can't identify with being at a parade in the "inner city" where "gang violence" erupts. The "oh my God, that could happen to me" factor isn't present with a story about New Orleans or the Chicago southside. ”
—Why isn’t New Orleans Mother’s Day parade shooting a ‘national tragedy’?
Why isn't New Orleans Mother's Day parade shooting a 'national tragedy'?
guardian.co.ukA telling excerpt:
“Unforunately, though, I’ve learned to redefine what constitutes an American tragedy. American tragedies occur where middle America frequents every day: airplanes, business offices, marathons. Where there persists a tangible fear that this could happen to any of us. And rightfully so. Deaths and mayhem anywhere are tragic. That should always be the case. The story here is where American tragedies don’t occur.
American tragedies don’t occur on the southside of Chicago or the New Orleans 9th Ward. They don’t occur where inner city high school kids shoot into school buses or someone shoots at a 10-year old’s birthday party in New Orleans. Or Gary, Indiana. Or Compton. Or Newport News. These are where the forgotten tragedies happen and the cities are left to persevere on their own.
So, once again, New Orleans will survive. And move on. Because, really, we’ve been here before.”
-David Dennis
I know this isn’t really related to the tag, but this issue is really bothering me. Today there was an absolutely horrific shooting at a Mothers Day parade in New Orleans, and the three suspects, who critically wounded over 17, are currently ARMED and on the run. Why isn’t the city on lockdown, like Boston was for an UNARMED 19 year old boy? Why isn’t there a manhunt going on? I’d be terrified if I were in New Orleans right now.
