Attributing mass shootings to mental illness diverts blame from guns and masks political divides

Evidence

Shifting the blame for mass killings solely to mental illness reframed the debate as a mental-health problem rather than a gun problem. The focus on mental illness also diverted attention away from everyday gun violence. The causal shift apparently resonated with the general public. When asked in a Gallup poll after the Newtown massacre what should be done to prevent future school shootings, the public favored increasing school security and mental health programs over doing something about guns of mass killing power (Newport, 2012). However, the average values mask a huge political divide. Democrats heavily favored banning assault weapons (61%), whereas Republicans’ support for banning such weapons (26%) was much lower. Democrats were also less supportive of having an armed school official in every school (27%) than were Republicans (49%). Rather, Democrats strongly favored increased spending on mental health screening and treatment (67%), whereas Republicans were much less supportive of this approach (35%), despite attribution of mass shootings to mental illness. The priority in mental health measures is not surprising. Communities welcome programs that add federal funds to their coffers. However, those priorities would rapidly change if communities had to tax themselves to pay for them. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1297

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to moral disengagement’s euphemistic labeling and blame-shifting mechanisms discussed elsewhere in this book; also echoes the rhetorical ‘causal displacement’ theme.
• SEED: Angle: why ‘mental health’ is the politically safe explanatory frame for mass shootings — it lets both parties avoid the gun question while funneling federal money states want.