June 15, 2016
The Great Divide
The beauty of mass media is that it takes something private and makes it public. If done in its purity it is educational and helps society see what is happening in the world. Of course some issues will continue to be argued because it is so difficult to see what is best for everyone in the long run. The gun control argument is one of those issues. Rachel Larimore, editor of Slate, gives a very personable view of gun control. She lives in Ohio but works for a media company on the East coast. She comments on the two different views and explains some terms that both sides confuse and get short tempered about. She advises journalists who write about guns to know the technicalities. It is important to know what you are writing about instead of just trying to get your own personal point across. I love the wide range of media and voices that On The Media uses to share stories.
This clip goes on to talk about the importance of responsible social media when it comes to guns. I completely agree with the policeman and gun safety instructor who was interviews on this show. He says that one third of Americans own guns and as responsible gun owners there is no room to say anything “crazy” on social media. If there was an instance where someone needed to use a gun for self-defense the media would rightfully go crazy if that same person had early posted about wanting to shoot someone for looking at them the wrong way. I believe that consistency will prove responsibility in the end.
Christy Roberts 