Opinions

Movie theaters ‘going postal’

The term “going postal” was coined in 1986 when Patrick Sherrill, 44, walked into the post office where he was employed and opened fire on his coworkers. Sherrill murdered 14 employees before turning the gun on himself. Though this was the first time this appalling behavior was labeled, it was not the last time it was exhibited.

This week, Regal Entertainment group announced a change in its security policy. According to the company’s website, listed under “admittance procedures,” “backpacks and bags of any kind are subject to inspection prior to admission.” The company also stated, “we acknowledge that this procedure can cause some inconvenience […] but hope these are minor in comparison to increased safety.”

But checking bags is not the solution to this countries’ mass shooting epidemic. If someone is committed to ending the lives of innocents, a flashlight and light groping of a bag is not going to stop them.

This change in policy is most likely a direct response to multiple mass shootings that occurred in movie theaters over the past five years. Though the most deadly attack occurred at a Century Theatre in Colorado, Regal theaters in Tennessee and Louisiana were both attacked by different individuals this summer.

Mass shootings have become so frequent they are almost as commonly reported on the news as the weather. A FBI study from 2000 to 2013 noted a drastic rise in these types of shootings, from an average of 6.4 in the first seven years, to an average of 16.4 over the last seven.

The story is usually the same. Though the location often changes, the coverage is always heart breaking. But that outrage fades, and the country’s policies rarely change.

It’s clear that a policy change is necessary, but who needs to be making the changes? Regal’s decision to search bags upon entry is a step in the right direction, but where does it get us?

Looking at a list of mass shooting rampages complied by The L.A. Times, it is clear that attacks are not exclusive to any one location. In 1984, 21 people were slaughtered in a McDonald’s by an unemployed security guard. On April 20, 1999, two students entered Columbine High School and massacred 13 people, including students and a staff member. In 2007, a Virginia Tech senior gunned down 32 people on the campus. The list is endless.

What does this mean for our safety? Should bags and backpacks be searched everywhere? When you board a train, walk into an office, or go to drop a letter in the mail? Or should we just accept these incidences as a new part of the human condition?

With the amount of shootings that have occurred at educational institutions how can such increased security measures be enforced? Should CSULB install metal detectors over every doorframe? Should all bags and purses be checked before someone enters the campus? With over 30,000 students enrolled this is an impossible feat.

The solution to this intricate problem lies not in the removal of firearms but placing more of an emphasis on mental health treatment in America.

If psychological support were more accessible to those in need we could prevent people from “going postal” and save countless lives.

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