Political implications of another school shooting
Perspective
1. Gun-owners are more likely to vote Republican than ever before. Source: Social Science Quarterly, quoted in Newsweek.
2. Americans with less education are more likely to vote Republican; Americans with more education are more likely to vote Democratic. Source: Pew Research Center.
3. Republicans consistently vote against gun control/gun safety measures, and consistently vote to reduce education funding. Both of these political positions increase their voter base. Fifty-eight percent of Republicans believe higher education is hurting America. Sources: The New York Times; Pew Research Center.
4. I do not believe that Republicans advocate violence in any form, especially not school shootings.
5. Nevertheless, the shooting at Douglas High School in Broward County, Florida, advances the Republican agenda, because it activates gun-rights supporters (who get energized by the inevitable calls for gun control) and fulfills the narrative that education is dangerous.
It is self-evident that a society with fewer weapons and more education is a better society. It is also evident that a society with more weapons and less education is more likely to vote Republican.
Isn’t it time we call out the cynical bargain that has been struck? By keeping weapons at-large and education minimized, Republicans hold onto power.
Image: NBC News interrupted regular programming to carry live coverage.
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Author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam Leipzig is the founder and CEO of MediaU, online career acceleration. MediaU opens the doors of access for content creation, filmmaking and television. Adam, Cultural Daily’s founder and publisher, has worked with more than 10,000 creatives in film, theatre, television, music, dance, poetry, literature, performance, photography, and design. He has been a producer, distributor or supervising executive on more than 30 films that have disrupted expectations, including A Plastic Ocean, March of the Penguins, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Dead Poets Society, Titus and A Plastic Ocean. His movies have won or been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, 11 BAFTA Awards, 2 Golden Globes, 2 Emmys, 2 Directors Guild Awards, 4 Sundance Awards and 4 Independent Spirit Awards. Adam teaches at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Adam began his career in theatre; he was the first professional dramaturg in the United States outside of New York City, and he was one of the founders of the Los Angeles Theatre Center, where he produced more than 300 plays, music, dance, and other events. Adam is CEO of Entertainment Media Partners, a company that navigates creative entrepreneurs through the Hollywood system and beyond, and a keynote speaker. Adam is the former president of National Geographic Films and senior Walt Disney Studios executive. He has also served in senior capacities at CreativeFuture, a non-profit organization that advocates for the creative community. Adam is is the author of ‘Inside Track for Independent Filmmakers
’ and co-author of the all-in-one resource for college students and emerging filmmakers
'Filmmaking in Action: Your Guide to the Skills and Craft' (Macmillan). (Photo by Jordan Ancel)
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