In times of tragedy, it’s easy to succumb to fear, insecurity and hysteria from influences like the media and politicians.
We take sides on hotly debated issues like gun control and mental health, but we forget about the values and virtues that make us safe. Let’s fix that.
In the wake of the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College, let’s challenge the common shooter narrative.
Out of respect and in hopes to change the reporting on mass shootings, the Editorial Board refuses to print the name of this shooter.
Instead of probing into the life of the shooter and the horrific violence of the situation, let’s shed light on the true heroes.
During the shooting, Chris Mintz, a student at UCC and a U.S. Army veteran, realized he had a duty to save others. Mintz ran toward the shooter after hearing gunshots coming from the classroom next door. He was shot seven times.
Mintz reportedly collapsed to the floor and said, “It’s my son’s birthday.”
Mintz is now in stable condition after surgery, and it will take an extensive amount of time before he fully recovers — both of Mintz’s legs were broken in the shooting.
Though he’ll have to go through physical therapy to walk again, he acted courageously in order for others to walk away safely.
“He got shot all those times but they missed the vital organs,” said Wanda Mintz, his aunt, according to oregonlive.com. “If you know Chris, he’ll cowboy up.”
Soon enough, the news of Chris Mintz went viral. His cousin started a GoFundMe account to cover his medical bills. It received $200,000 from people across the country in five hours.
According to the Los Angeles Times, admirers on his GoFundMe page wrote comments like, “A true American Hero!” and, “Land of the free. Home of the brave.”
Mintz should be respected as a modern day hero for putting the protection of other people before himself.
Even before the shooting, Mintz resembled a community man bent on helping others. He hopes to become a physical therapist in the future, and he also did maintenance work at the local YMCA, where he was known as “Mr. Fix-It.”
And Mintz’s steadfast persistence showed its true colors during the UCC shooting.
When tragedy strikes, those who can rise up to the challenge in strength and perseverance should be the ones we honor and remember.
Stories like these remind us what it really means to be noble in the face of struggle.
Though we don’t have to survive shootings like superheroes to be remembered, we should remember these events as narratives of good over evil. Even the everyday citizen can show the same virtues that Mintz embodied.
Placing focus on the shooter and their motives not only distracts the public with the assailant’s perverse reasonings for causing deadly violence but casts those who’ve fallen victim to it into the shadows.
Yes, in times of tragedy and pain, victims and their families might choose privacy over the microscope of national media attention. But it many cases, these people want their stories heard, their loved ones remembered and the heroes celebrated.
In times of danger and fear, let’s focus on those who instill the American values of justice and courage in ourselves, like Chris Mintz.
Those who protect the lives of others will always be true heroes.
