The Four Color Media Monitor

The gawker.com article claims that mass shootings are on the rise, and that not one has ever been stopped by an armed civilian. Both claims are false, and both are based on juggling statistics.

Mass shootings, including school shootings, are still thankfully rare. To make it appear that mass murders with guns are common and are increasing, the leftist media use absurdly broad criteria to define a "shooting spree" or "school shooting." A gang member getting shot by rival gangsters within a block of a school zone, or a criminal shot in a drug deal gone bad within 100 yards of a school, is counted as a "school shooting."

Conversely, the claim that "no mass shooting has ever been stopped by a civilian with a gun" depends on a narrow definition of "mass" shootings. The Mother Jones article going around the internet defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more victims were killed. Attempted shooting sprees that ended with a death toll of "only" three or fewer victims were not counted. In some of these cases, the rampage ended as soon as it did (and before more victims could be harmed) because an armed citizen or off-duty cop intervened and stopped the killer, one way or another. (In some cases, the good guy was forced to shoot the killer; in others, the killer either surrendered or killed himself when he encountered armed resistance.)

BTW, when someone cites one of the most famous mass shootings (Columbine, Sandy Hook, Fort Hood, Santa Barbara) and says that it was not stopped by an armed civilian, just remember that every one of those tragedies took place in a so-called "gun-free zone" where law-abiding citizens could not carry weapons.

Has Mark Waid (or Elizabeth Warren, or Hillary Clinton) ever donated any of his/her own money to "help young people" go to college? Has any of them ever tried to "help young people" get jobs so that they could afford to pay their own tuition, without a government program?

For that matter, I suppose it is out of the question for able-bodied young adults to serve a term in the military and earn benefits, including tuition assistance.

Student loans are just a way for politicians to buy votes from people who basically want to postpone growing up for four years.

And it's greedy and selfish for taxpayers to take advantage of "loopholes," but it's OK for "young people" (i.e., able-bodied high school graduates) to take a four-year vacation at the taxpayers' expense.

Waid is simply showing he's not all that bright.

He hates the health care system... but it's not Barry O's fault.

He hates cronyism... but the Dems don't engage in that.

He hates corporations... after making most of the money he'll ever see in the employ of some of the biggest ones.

He hates money... but I'm betting he's never turned down a raise in his life.

He thinks guns aren't fun... but I doubt he's ever picked one up in his life.

Just not very bright.

BTW, someone ask him if the Occupy Wall Street shooters in Las Vegas discredit the entire left. If you don't mind getting blocked, of course...

Mark Waid can be a great writer when he doesn't let his political beliefs creep into his stories. In the '90s he wrote a lot of stories about Wally West, a conservative character. But that said, his comments are still unprofessional and inexcusable.