Hugh Hewitt blasts NBC News for their decision to air the killer's video last night. I hope more people take them to task. Not only did they give a homicidal maniac what he wanted, they glorified him in a way that will resonate with all the other angry, alienated, and potentially homicidal young men out there watching. As I wrote in my first post on this issue, rather than talk about gun control or campus security, we need to talk about mental health and media responsibility.

David Broder writes about media responsibility (concerning Imus and the Duke rape case).

The New York Times has two articles about the mental health (or lack thereof) aspects of this story. One specifically about the killer, the other about the law. A university president has some thoughts on the matter in this Washington Post op-ed.

If we are really serious about trying to discourage these kinds of mass shootings, those of us in the mass media need to re-examine the way we cover these incidents. We need to recognize that these shooters are looking for a big stage. These are people who are isolated (by their own volition), and who feel that no one listens to them. They feel worthless. What better way to be heard than to go for a mass shooting record and have your last manifesto (in today's media, a complete audio-video presentation) published and broadcast for the whole world to see? Thus, step one in dealing with this issue is the easiest. EXERCISE EDITORIAL JUDGEMENT!!!

That, of course, supposes my colleagues remember what that means.