Musings of a Mass Shooting Survivor
WhoWhatWhy editor Toni Johnson shares her experience of being a mass shooting survivor, and decries the failure to have an honest conversation about gun violence in America.
Why the March for Our Lives Might Be a March for the Ages
Last Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the March for Our Lives, calling for gun restrictions. Where will this lead?
What Gun Background Checks Can’t Detect: Stupidity
Raised age requirements and background checks for gun purchases won’t fix absent-mindedness. Or stupidity.
Here’s Who Takes Big Money from the Gun Lobby
Single-issue voters could make the difference in the 2018 midterms. Will that issue be guns?
Bipartisan Consensus Emerging to Ban Bump Stocks
The latest school shooting in Parkland, FL, has prompted another round of fights over gun control measures. But a bipartisan readiness to end the sale of bump stocks is emerging.
Another Modest Proposal: Let’s Help Trump by Surrounding Him With Gunslingers
President Donald Trump wants to solve the school shooting crisis by arming teachers and administrators. But why stop there?
How Politicians Try to Shut Down Debates Following Tragedies
In the wake of a national tragedy, we often hear politicians insisting the other side not “politicize” the event. Having national debates can be hard, but should there be limitations to what can be discussed and when?
Classic Who: Texas Concealed Carry Law and the UT Tower Massacre
WhoWhatWhy reaches into its archives to remember a massacre with echoes of the Las Vegas attack.
The Granddaddy of Campus Mass Shootings
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the University of Texas Tower shootings. A creative new documentary brings the larger story to life.
Bringing a Knife to a Gunfight
The NRA has millions of dollars, and millions of aggressive supporters who knock on doors, hand out fliers, make phone calls, and register voters — while most of their opponents do nothing but tweet and post clever memes on Facebook. In the meantime, an average of one mass shooting occurs in the US every day.
Surprising Facts About Who Threatens Our Safety the Most—Recommended Reading
Despite the media’s overwhelming coverage of foreign terrorism, there’s a much bigger problem here at home.
Classic WHY: Just Asking—Media Outfoxed on Spate of Bizarre Shootings?
In the wake of the Charleston shootings, it’s worth revisiting this discussion about how—and why—the media discourages deeper scrutiny of violence in the US.
“The Drugs Made Me Do It?”
The finger-pointing about who is to blame for gun violence
has turned to prescription pharmaceuticals. We’re told that they
transform people into killing machines. But is the problem the
drugs themselves—or the ease with which the mentally ill can obtain
guns?
The NRA’s Proposal to Vastly Expand Government
Putting armed guards into every school seems an odd thing for certain people to be advocating. It runs counter to their general philosophy, and many other complications emerge.
PODCAST: Russ Baker on George HW Bush, guns, news timing, Syria and more
In this interview with host Pat Thurston on the popular San Francisco-based KGO, Russ discusses less publicized aspects of George HW Bush’s life, makes new enemies over guns, explains why timing is everything in the news business, and laments the media’s failure to level with the public over Syria. Plus more.
Explainer: How Poor Timing Buries Important News
What a difference it makes…when news breaks. A look at the consequences of poor timing, in stories about Israel/Gaza and gun violence.
Fact-Checking Wayne LaPierre
The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre pooh-poohed a proposal to reduce how many rounds semi-automatic weapon magazines can carry. But he introduced a red herring—and he was being deceptive.
Get Your Pink Rifle at Dick’s! America’s Love Affair with Money and Violence
Those who make a fortune selling guns are doing the obligatory show of sensitivity. They know that if they can just keep their heads down, it will all blow over, and they’ll be back in clover soon enough.
Controlling Gun Violence: Not a Prayer?
The politicians have a lot to say about gun deaths in America—and keep on saying it, over and over.
Did You Hear About the Shooting?
Something is wrong with a country where mass murder seems a routine occurrence. The fact that we merely report these things without really doing anything about them is even more telling.