Americans Aren’t Numb to Mass Shootings

Authored by newrepublic.com and submitted by harsh2k5

This is not numbness. There is frustration and fatalism and no small amount of cynicism. The notion that the country is “numb” to the mass violence that breaks out here on a seemingly daily basis is simply not true. People have become conditioned, for good reason, to expect lawmakers to do precisely what they did yesterday: helplessly piss and moan and flap their arms and make excuses and ask for voters to make their voice heard in November—as if voters’ previous failure to do so is what brought us to this point.

For news outlets, there is a related but slightly different problem. We have covered so many of these, often several in a year, that an industry that thrives on “new” information struggles to come up with anything unique to say about the latest outbreak of senseless violence. Instead, there has been a slow recognition that the senseless violence is the reality we’re living in—unlike many tragedies, there’s nothing unrecognizable in a mass shooting; this is just day-to-day life. News outlets haven’t quite figured out how to adequately convey this—or, perhaps, admit this. Hence, for many, the “numb” moniker feels like an explanation.

None of the “numbness” derives from witnessing so much violence, week in and week out. Rather, it stems from the grim knowledge that our elected officials will do little beyond making their wan pleas for prayers or votes. If there is a “numbness,” it’s not to the slaughter of children or churchgoers or people just trying to do their shopping on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The grief and the anger is as raw and as energetic as it’s ever been. There was simply a time, once, when we felt it was outlandish to think our lawmakers would fail to act on behalf of defenseless children. We now know it’s not so outlandish. “Numb” is just the imperfect term being used to describe this sad state of affairs, because we’ve not really invented a word to describe what it’s like to live in a reality that’s so galling, and so stupid.

Glacecakes on May 28th, 2022 at 17:57 UTC »

I’m always thinking about that study that found 0% of the public’s opinion goes into policy making. Literally 0.

SignificantTrout on May 28th, 2022 at 17:07 UTC »

My daughter was president of her theatre club in highschool. ( Just graduated). I think she's been to more active shooter drills than plays.

thefinalcountdown29 on May 28th, 2022 at 15:10 UTC »

I was accused of being numb to them in our first faculty meeting afterwards, but I didn’t have the words to say this then.

As a teacher and a mother, I’m not sure what else I can do. I live in a state where I can’t protest as a teacher because I will forfeit my credentials in doing so. I also can’t freak out and scare my students. Laws were just passed weeks ago forbidding any classroom discussion that prompts dissent, or some such other shit, so that’s out.

As a mother, I can’t freak out and scare my kids. I can make sure they survive as best I can. Maybe a bullet proof backpack will be my next purchase? Oh, but I can’t afford it.

As an American, I certainly can’t survive without my income and homeschool my children.

I told my colleagues, there’s simply no point in discussing this any more. I used to think talking about it would bring about a solution, but Newtown did the exact opposite. In fact, it taught us that next week, swaths of Americans will refuse to admit this one happened either. Politicians are on vacay paid for by gun manufacturers. It’s just so fucking bleak. I hate being American right now. I hate this plot line. I want to take my kids and get out but can’t.

I told my colleagues that the only thing I can do is be the best person I can and teach my kids to do the same, pray it doesn’t happen to us, and have faith Heaven is on the other side waiting for us. That’s all that’s in my power to do. My vote doesn’t matter. My leaders don’t listen to me if I brave saying anything.

Rant over. No one even read this, so who fucking cares.