Cedars, January 2018

January 2018 13 OFF CAMPUS According to Parvin, security profes- sionals often speak differently about violent acts. “You’ll notice that I have never men- tioned the perpetrators’ names, because a lot of it is seeking notoriety,” Parvin said. “We’ll talk about the incident, we’ll talk about where the incident occurred, but we don’t talk about who perpetrated it be- cause they don’t deserve the recognition.” However, the media often ignores these risks because of the intensity of read- ers’ questions. Who would do this? Why? How did it come about? Not only is the general public stunned and curious, per- haps morbidly fascinated, but the answers to these questions can provide closure to the families of victims. This focused study of individuals, however, can accidentally memorialize them in the minds of people with narcissistic tendencies. The changes in technology not only increase awareness of mass shootings — perhaps unintentionally incentivizing similar acts — but may also make it eas- ier to carry out mass violence. Parvin de- scribed how the increasing availability of all types of information on the internet, while it has many benefits, also leads to greater risks. “You can get a couple guys that can go online and find out how to make a bomb out of a pressure cooker, stick it in a bag, and injure and kill hundreds of people at the Boston Marathon,” Parvin said. “It’s not necessarily the individual; it comes back to [the technology]. Where do you draw the line between your First Amendment rights and the fact that I can go to a website and find out anything, find out how to build a bomb?” While mass shootings have not become significantly more frequent in the last few decades, a study published by Baylor Uni- versity criminology professor Dr. Grant Duwe found that they have affected a great- er number of total victims. In fact, two of the three deadliest mass shootings ever in the United States occurred in the last two years, in Orlando and Las Vegas. This, too, can be attributed to changing technology, as powerful guns are becoming more readily accessible. Parvin emphasized that while changing weapons and information technology may make it easier for certain types of violence to occur, the real issue has less to do with these developments, and more to do with the human heart. “It’s the depravity of man, and it’s by the grace of God that we’re not as bad as we could be,” Parvin said. Once an incident of gun violence oc- curs, the conversation turns to prevention — in part due to media sensationalization, in part due to political motivation, and in largest part due to a desire to avoid such an event ever occurring again. The immediate conversation is one about gun control. Campaigns for stricter gun control typically circulate the moment after a mass shooting, while the National Rifle Association works overtime to say the issue is with people, not guns. Repealing the Second Amendment entirely is often discussed as a solution. The question, of course, is whether or not these stricter gun control laws are actually effective — and if they are, whether partisanship can be over- come to implement them. Parvin believes the answer does not lie with stricter gun control. “One of the greatest statements I ever heard was actually a parent from Sandy Hook who spoke before Congress and his ending statement was, ‘You can pass all the laws you want, because it’s not a legal issue, it’s a heart issue, and until you solve the problem with the heart, the laws don’t matter,’” he said. One piece of legislation being dis- cussed at the moment is House Resolution 38, passed on December 6, which deals with national reciprocity. The legislation would require states that issue right-to- carry permits to recognize the right-to- carry permits of all other states. Parvin believes that this will increase communica- tion between states for gun permits, which will overall prevent the illegal acquisition of firearms. “The question is not, ‘Do we need more laws to control who has the guns?’ What we need is some open lines of communication so that people who know, who have these concerns, can communicate that effective- ly, so that it joins the background check system,” he said. “Part of national reci- procity has to be that open line of commu- nication.” Clauson argues that the Reciprocity Act may increase the ability of individuals to obtain firearms, because it could open up the possibility of firearms crossing easi- ly over state borders. He sees this as having the potential to both increase protection from gun violence and to increase gun vi- olence. “There are going to be more firearms circulating in the United States,” he said. “One side argues that that creates the con- ditions for more unlawful killings, mass shootings or just individual shootings. Another side argues that that also opens up the door for more private citizens who want to defend themselves or their fam- ilies to carry weapons, and therefore they could be a check on those kinds of people who want to kill other people. I really can’t say which of those two is going to outweigh the other at this point, since we don’t have reciprocity yet, and we don’t have enough numbers to really measure those two kinds of things.” A solution that is not legislative is in- “It’s the depravity of man, and it’s by the grace of God that we’re not as bad as we could be.” Don Parvin Cedarville Campus Safety Infographic by Tasha Peterson