Thank you so much Lane for how you thoughtfully sifted through the noise around guns, which always arises after these tragedies. Your example of the scientist v. the flat-earther is spot on. Why are we pitting the lives and value of our children against the "rights" of people who want to carry guns? I heard an interview today on a very mainstream radio program in which the host asked a gun control advocate -- himself a victim of gun violence -- how he would respond to people who are afraid their access to gun will be taken away. WHY are they asking this guy that question? Why aren't we asking the gun rights people why they think their rights -- which are actually NOT being at all affected by these reasonable restrictions -- are more important than the lives of children, teachers, elders, humans? It was a cruel set-up for this advocate to have to defend his position as though the other side's position was equally valid. The news outlet should have known better. As you say, "Neutrality bias" is a weak cover for maintaining the status quo and it's killing us.
I cannot express how infuriated and defeated I feel when it comes to this topic. The levels of wanton gun violence and death here are enough to justify packing up and leaving this country. However, this article is enlightening and encouraging. Neutrality bias perfectly sums up the core of the problem in our national discourse. It causes meaningful conversations to be derailed and leads to productive, evidence-based solutions being sidelined. Your last point about how neutrality bias is dehumanizing (especially in discussions about human rights, livelihood, and safety) really hits the mark. I didn't always see this but now it's hard to unsee it. For example, a new CBSNews poll shows that 72% of the nation believes mass shootings are preventable. However, there is a partisan split: 44% of Republicans say mass shootings are something we have to accept.* To your point, this incredibly dehumanizing and callous position is too often repeated and given space in discussion about gun violence and reform when instead it should be called out as incredibly dehumanizing and callous and immediately shut down.
Thank you so much Lane for how you thoughtfully sifted through the noise around guns, which always arises after these tragedies. Your example of the scientist v. the flat-earther is spot on. Why are we pitting the lives and value of our children against the "rights" of people who want to carry guns? I heard an interview today on a very mainstream radio program in which the host asked a gun control advocate -- himself a victim of gun violence -- how he would respond to people who are afraid their access to gun will be taken away. WHY are they asking this guy that question? Why aren't we asking the gun rights people why they think their rights -- which are actually NOT being at all affected by these reasonable restrictions -- are more important than the lives of children, teachers, elders, humans? It was a cruel set-up for this advocate to have to defend his position as though the other side's position was equally valid. The news outlet should have known better. As you say, "Neutrality bias" is a weak cover for maintaining the status quo and it's killing us.
I cannot express how infuriated and defeated I feel when it comes to this topic. The levels of wanton gun violence and death here are enough to justify packing up and leaving this country. However, this article is enlightening and encouraging. Neutrality bias perfectly sums up the core of the problem in our national discourse. It causes meaningful conversations to be derailed and leads to productive, evidence-based solutions being sidelined. Your last point about how neutrality bias is dehumanizing (especially in discussions about human rights, livelihood, and safety) really hits the mark. I didn't always see this but now it's hard to unsee it. For example, a new CBSNews poll shows that 72% of the nation believes mass shootings are preventable. However, there is a partisan split: 44% of Republicans say mass shootings are something we have to accept.* To your point, this incredibly dehumanizing and callous position is too often repeated and given space in discussion about gun violence and reform when instead it should be called out as incredibly dehumanizing and callous and immediately shut down.