Something that worries me is if this is going to jumpstart people killing other people in order to get attention on social media. 

The right is trying to make this about some imagined double standard regarding a black guy killing white people.

The left is trying to make this about how everyone who doesn't hate guns is evil incarnate.

All I see here is another human tragedy. We can no longer go twelve hours in this country without turning the most tragic of events to our own political favor.

Shame on all of us, the far right and the far left, for politicizing tragedies before the dead are even cold.

Edited August 28, 201510 yr by katie_9918

I made the mistake of watching a Youtube video (of Alison Parker reporting for CNN) and sure enough, there were tons of comments insisting the whole thing was faked. I hate that [!@#$%^&*] so much. Some people still say that about Sandy Hook and now we're getting it again. It's disgusting and pathetic.

Something that worries me is if this is going to jumpstart people killing other people in order to get attention on social media. 

 

Most likely. Just like theatre shootings have become a thing, this will too.

Edited August 28, 201510 yr by marceline

I made the mistake of watching a Youtube video (of Alison Parker reporting for CNN) and sure enough, there were tons of comments insisting the whole thing was faked. I hate that [!@#$%^&*] so much. Some people still say that about Sandy Hook and now we're getting it again. It's disgusting and pathetic.

And my reaction...

 

I thought this was an interesting article that goes into the whole feeling that what we saw wasn't "real."

 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/27/virginia-shootings-reality-show-paradox-tv-dont-seem-real

If you ask me, I think this past week was merely the proverbial tip of the iceberg -- before too long, some other poor, misguided, mentally unbalanced soul will get the idea to "one-up" Flanagan and perform an actual, on-air beheading.  I feel it in my bones, as they say, and I absolutely dread the feeling.

Edited August 29, 201510 yr by Khan

That's a dreadful thought, but even more dreadful is that you're probably right.