How the Left Spins a “Shooting”

After reading several articles regarding the 15-year-old killer, Natalie Rupnow, who went on a rampage at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, it is apparent that the media is intent on spinning a narrative around this attack.

First, there was very little mention of the type of gun used. Many publications didn’t even mention that a handgun was found on the scene. This is most likely because it was not a gun typically targeted for legislation. If the media suggested more legislation for handguns they would lose credibility. They know the time is not right to push for a handgun ban. They didn’t talk about background checks because the 15-year-old killer demonstrated to everyone exactly how ineffective the background check system is at stopping murders, by avoiding it altogether.

There was, however, excessive reporting on the emotional trauma of those involved. Several quotes from witnesses, even young children were reported to pull at the heartstrings of anyone watching. The emotional ploy for gun-control laws will always be part of the narrative because it influences people who cannot think critically on the topic.

The question of how the 15-year-old girl got possession of the firearm was reported because this could be used to gain support for in-home firearm storage laws and mandatory inspections. If a parent can be made to appear irresponsible for the actions of their child prosecution of that parent could occur. This could discourage other parents from gun-ownership out of fear they too could find themselves in jail.

When asked if people were specifically targeted, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said, “everyone was targeted in this incident, and everyone was put in equal danger.” This type of rhetoric clouds the facts and perpetuates unnecessary fear in the public. The Police Chief’s comment appeared to be an attempt at capitalizing on the emotions of the public, possibly for political purposes. By stating, “everyone was targeted,” the Police Chief is putting fear in “everyone.” This is irresponsible and counterintuitive at a time when people are looking for data to help them understand the situation. It is unlikely that everyone was targeted. It is quite possible that there was a specific motive, but purposefully inserting a statement like this into the public forum creates anxiety among people who are searching for facts.

CNN used the attack to share what appears to be a propaganda piece that discusses so-called “school shootings.” The criteria in which CNN’s study measures a “school shooting,” includes everything from buildings, fields, parking lots, stadiums, and buses where a gun is fired. This includes accidental discharges if one person is shot. In the CNN article, called “school shootings in the US: fast facts,” any and all of these incidents of firearm discharge, including accidental discharge are considered, “gun violence.” According to CNN’s “gun violence” metrics, it would appear that if two people are in a field that is technically on school property and one person accidentally discharges a firearm, shooting but not necessarily killing another person, you are to consider that a “school shooting” and a form of “gun violence.” This type of skewed qualifying further fuels the false anti-gun narrative.

There has been a considerable amount of rhetoric by some publications, when using a photo of Rupnow at the firing range, skeet shooting. In what appears to be an attempt at demonizing firearm training, a UK publication said, “Rupnow was encouraged by her father to practice her weapons handling skills in the months leading up to Monday’s bloodshed.” This type of narration is very typical of the anti-gun crowd. It encourages the reader to believe that the father was training her to kill. This also demonizes the idea of parents training their children in proper firearm use. When this type of rhetoric is used, the reader is strategically redirected from considering any possible mental disorders the child was experiencing, further preventing the exploration of the real cause of human violence.

Chief Barnes acted quickly, in what appeared to be the protection of a political narrative that went against the Left. He dismissed the idea that the killer was transgender when the topic came up. The Chief urged the public to disregard online speculation that the killer was transgender and said, “I don’t think that whatever happened today has anything to do with how she, or he, or they may have wanted to identify.” he also said, “I wish people would kind of leave their own personal biases out of this.” Barnes rejected accusations that the killer was transgender but welcomed the idea that firearm manufacturers might share in responsibility for the act of violence when he said, “We have asked our partners with the ATF to expedite what’s called an ATF trace form to try and determine the origin of that weapon, who purchased it and how it got from a manufacturer all the way to the hands of a 15-year-old girl.”

Chief Barnes’ rhetoric seems to shine a light on his own bias and intention to imply that firearm manufacturers may have some responsibility, while also protecting the possibility that the killer may be suffering from gender dysphoria. To many, this looks like political bias and an attempt at protecting a left-wing narrative.

Madison Mayor, Satya Rhodes Conway couldn’t resist getting involved in the anti-gun rhetoric when she said, “I am on record that I think we need to do better in our country and our community to prevent gun violence.” Conway also made it a point that this incident is, “a reminder of the need for reform to stop gun violence.” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel made it a point to publicly announce Conway as “the first out lesbian elected as a Mayor in Wisconsin.”

The authorities in Madison, Wisconsin appear more concerned with firearm legislation and protecting a left-wing narrative than they are with understanding what caused this young girl to act out in such a violent way. The causes of human violence and the lack of armed teachers, staff, and security on campus could be a good area of focus should they care to prevent another incident like this from happening in the future.

The actions of this Mayor and Police Chief appear to be politically biased, and the rhetoric used may be harmful to the investigation. The good people of Madison, Wisconsin would like to understand the cause of this 15-year-old child’s rampage, but when the people we count on to give us information do nothing more than perpetuate a narrative that suits them politically, the chances of understanding the underlying causes are significantly reduced.

The irony of this whole incident is the fact that the school was a gun-free zone, and teachers were unarmed, helpless, and unable to protect the children. Of course there was no talk of this by any elected officials. Ever since Joe Biden introduced the Crime Control Act, which included the Gun Free School Zones Act in 1990, school killings have increased. But don’t worry, the political left will continue to offer more of the same dangerous gun regulations while using the very school killings they cause as justification.