Strange occurences
What happened between 1978 and 1989 in the U.S.?
In that period there were no major violent incidents involving schools. I realise this is a topical issue but, since that period there has been at the very least one a year. In 1999 there were at least 7 (including Columbine) and in 2006 there were 8. Between the period '89-'07 there have been at least 41 shooting incidents involving schools.
What has brought this change (from 0 in the 11 year period before hand to 41 in the 17 year period afterwards)? Was it a sudden thing or was it a gradual increase over time? What was the catalyst, what cultures have instigated the change?
I am not an American, nor am I any kind of expert on the topic, so I call for you Americans (or experts, or both) to help me answer this question.
~Shades
Comments
Let's see...1978 to 1989? Reagan is what happened!
I assume you mean by no major violent incidents, only mass shootings? Because there were violent incidents during that time, including the assassination of John Lennon and the attempted assassination of President Reagan.
I think there are probably a lot of things that changed. One thing that I think has contributed to the workplace shootings is that things are bad for the working class here lately. They have actually been getting bad since the mid-70s, but it's only become really ostentatious since the recession began in, um, 1989. There was, of course, a "recovery" during the Clinton years, but it helped the working class not at all, by most measures. Sorry, Adam, but a rising tide does not, in fact, lift all boats.
I can't speak for all Americans, of course, but I think among younger people of my socioeconomic class, there is a rather overwhelming sense of futility and hopelessness. I don't know that that explains the violence, though (although, actually, our total murder rate is at an all-time low in the past few years, but these big shootings get big press and keep everyone afraid).