My position is that when the average person hears the phrase “mass shooting”, the scenario that comes to mind is a shooter, going to a public space, with the intent of killing and injuring as many people as possible.
They don’t percieve it as extensions of other crimes that weren’t planned or concieved as mass shootings. Bar fights, domestic violence, gang shootings, etc. etc.
The Gun Violence Archive fails to make that distinction because they have an agenda, one which the mass media perpetuates unquestioningly.
Alright, thanks. What I’m wondering is why you believe this is the average person’s idea of a mass shooting. Is this based on your gut feeling, or is there any kind of evidence you can point me toward? Like I said, it just doesn’t match my personal experience, that’s the only reason I ask.
Simple, you watch the reactions… “OMG! That could have been me!” Yes, in an actual mass shooting, it very well could have. Other kinds of crimes? Not so much.
People aren’t worried about getting shot in a barfight or a robbery because they know those are rare, they ARE worried about the random shooter events which they are made to believe happen more often than they actually do.
Definition comes from a position of rationality and not wanting to scare people. :)
I’m confused. Is your position that yours is the most generally-held definition, or that it should be?
My position is that when the average person hears the phrase “mass shooting”, the scenario that comes to mind is a shooter, going to a public space, with the intent of killing and injuring as many people as possible.
They don’t percieve it as extensions of other crimes that weren’t planned or concieved as mass shootings. Bar fights, domestic violence, gang shootings, etc. etc.
The Gun Violence Archive fails to make that distinction because they have an agenda, one which the mass media perpetuates unquestioningly.
Alright, thanks. What I’m wondering is why you believe this is the average person’s idea of a mass shooting. Is this based on your gut feeling, or is there any kind of evidence you can point me toward? Like I said, it just doesn’t match my personal experience, that’s the only reason I ask.
Simple, you watch the reactions… “OMG! That could have been me!” Yes, in an actual mass shooting, it very well could have. Other kinds of crimes? Not so much.
People aren’t worried about getting shot in a barfight or a robbery because they know those are rare, they ARE worried about the random shooter events which they are made to believe happen more often than they actually do.