Do we overreact to mass shootings?

I don’t think so.

I believe we react appropriately…, it’s the reaction of what we should do about these shootings is where some of us tend to overact, and even exploit the circumstances.

This last weekend we saw at least 30 people die to shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

Yahoo Lifestyle  reporter, Elena Sheppard, reported that, “Famed astrophysicist and TV personality Neil deGrasse Tyson has shared his reaction to this weekend’s double mass shootings, and people are outraged.”

Tyson was “slammed” for his reaction to the mass shootings reactions.

“Tyson argued that more people are killed by the flu and car accidents than mass shootings, adding, ‘often our emotions respond more to spectacle than to data.’”

Tyson tweeted:

‘“In the past 48hrs, the USA horrifically lost 34 people to mass shootings.’

‘On average, across any 48hrs, we also lose…’

‘500 to Medical errors’

‘300 to the Flu’

‘250 to Suicide’

‘200 to Car Accidents’

‘40 to Homicide via Handgun’

‘Often our emotions respond more to spectacle than to data.’

— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson)  August 4, 2019’”

In addition, every 48 hours in the U.S.:

About 3,200 people will die from cancer.

40 U.S. Veterans will commit suicide.

380 people will die from drug overdoses.

5,000 abortions will be performed.

6 women die from domestic violence.

69,000 report domestic abuse or violence.  (That’s only what’s reported)

11 people will die as a result of gang violence.

9 people will die from knife wounds.

500 people will die from Alzheimer’s.

There are 483 alcohol related deaths.

57,500 people come into our country illegally and undocumented.  (And that’s only the ones we know about! The actual number coming in could be twice as many!)

And remember, these numbers happen all over again EVERY 48 hours in our country.

The fact of the matter is that bad things happen to good people all of the time.

We just have to accept that fact and realize that no matter what we do, many of these occurrences are not preventable.

We can take reasonable steps to minimize them as much as possible, but we just can’t eliminate them from occurring at all.

We can make laws banning this and banning that, but people break laws all of the time.

Killing all of those people this past weekend was already against the law, wasn’t it?

I guess, in this case, I’m going to have to agree with Mr. Tyson.

It was a sad occurrence, no doubt…, but we have equally sad, and even sadder things occurring every day, over and over again, 24/7/365, that deserve more of our attention, and our outrage, as well.

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