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Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

The Ethical Implications of Mass Shootings

Couple standing in front of memorial

Couple standing in front of memorial

Couple standing in front of memorial
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)

As several mass shootings have recently, and increasingly, gripped our nation, Ethics Center staff and scholars analyze some of the many related ethical dilemmas.

To End the Violence, Ethics Requires We Must First Have Empathy for the Other
It is time to take a holistic approach and look at all ways to stop gun violence.
By Hana Callaghan, director of Government Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Stop Normalizing Gun Violence
Changing how we talk is the first step to stopping the killing.
By Ann Mongoven, associate director of Health Care Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Take Us to a Future Where We are Safe
The role of American leaders responding to mass shootings.
By Ann Skeet, senior director of Leadership Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Unity in Times of Grief: Fostering Equity Through the Ethics of Care
We can all contribute to a culture of caring and equity by sharing stories that focus on unity and community support.
By Yael Kidron, director of Education Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Maintaining Objectivity when Confronted by Horror 
The New York Times headline about Trump’s post-massacres speech spawned denunciations that threaten journalistic integrity.
By Peter Minowitz, professor of political science at Santa Clara University and Faculty Scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Life and Death by Myths, Stories, and Traditions
The breakdown of the myth of the free, self-reliant American man complements the causes of mass shootings.
By David E. DeCosse, director of Campus Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

An Ethics Report Card: 3 Dilemmas for News Coverage of Mass Shootings
The news media is making progress on how to responsibly and ethically report on mass shootings.
By Subramaniam Vincent, director of Journalism and Media Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Aug 20, 2019
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