Mass shooters need to become significant or notorious

+ abortion battles in states; Palestinian indifference amid protests in Israel US Edition - Today's top story: Why do mass shooters kill? It's about more than having a grievance [View in browser]( US Edition | 13 April 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Just two weeks ago, in this space, I wrote about what was then the latest mass shooting in the United States. Since then, there have been at least 18 more. Those shootings didn’t all receive national media attention. But they happened. More people were slaughtered by gunmen who turned semiautomatic weapons on them and more families were devastated. None of it this surprising, though. This is the U.S. after all and mass shootings – along with Americans’ collective failure to stop them – have come to define us. So, here I am – again, pointing out that in a widely reported mass shooting at a Louisville, Kentucky, bank, a gunman used an AR-15-style rifle to shatter bodies and lives. Mass shootings in schools, in banks, in Tennessee, in Kentucky shouldn’t be a thing. But they are. This week, Arie Kruglanski, a psychologist who studies violence and extremism, [digs into the psychology of mass shooters to help us understand what could motivate them](. He writes, “What my colleagues and I call the ‘Three Ns’: need, narrative and network, refer to the would-be shooter’s need to become significant or notorious, the narrative that says being a shooter means being important, and the network that exists to support such behavior. They together combine into a toxic mixture, driving a person to carry out a mass shooting.” Lorna Grisby Senior Politics & Society Editor A memorial for Joshua Barrick, killed by a shooter at the bank where he worked, April 10, 2023, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville, Ky. AP Photo/Claire Galofaro [Why do mass shooters kill? It’s about more than having a grievance]( Arie Kruglanski, University of Maryland Is there ever a satisfactory answer to questions about what motivated a mass shooter? There is, but it’s not what you think. The Michigan State Capitol, like statehouses around the country, has been the site of numerous abortion policy battles. Brandon Bartoszek [State battles over abortion are leading to state constitutional amendments – an option in all states and available directly to citizens in 18 states]( John Dinan, Wake Forest University Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, most abortion policy has been settled by states. Now, citizen-crafted constitutional amendments may be the abortion battleground of the future. Bans on critical race theory target teachers and curriculums. Kobus Louw via Getty Images [Efforts to ban critical race theory have been put forth in all but one state – and many threaten schools with a loss of funds]( Taifha Natalee Alexander, University of California, Los Angeles A new database shows that efforts to ban critical race theory are pervasive throughout the United States. [Boosting EV market share to 67% of US car sales is a huge leap – but automakers can meet EPA’s tough new standards]( Alan Jenn, University of California, Davis An EV industry expert offers five reasons to be optimistic that the government’s ambitious proposed rules to clean up auto emissions can succeed. [Most Palestinians in East Jerusalem are sitting out Israeli protests – but they are still concerned about a potential judicial reform]( Derek Lief, University of Michigan Recent in-depth interviews with Palestinians living in East Jerusalem show that while they are following the Israeli protests, they feel an overall sense of resignation about their futures. [Anyone can claim to be a journalist or a news organization, and publish lies with almost total impunity]( John C. Watson, American University A news organization doesn’t have to publish or broadcast the facts or the truth. And there are no standardized requirements to be a journalist. [Jobs report hints that Fed policy is paying off – and that a ‘growth recession’ awaits]( Christopher Decker, University of Nebraska Omaha The Fed’s campaign of rate hikes is showing more signs of having the intended effect of slowing the economy – but that may be bad news for those who lose their jobs or have a harder time finding one. - [Defying the Holocaust didn’t just mean uprising and revolt: Remembering Jews’ everyday resistance]( Chad Gibbs, College of Charleston Yom HaShoah, which falls on April 17-18, 2023, pointedly commemorates Jewish resistance to the Nazis. - [For Black social workers, anxiety and depression are on the rise]( Carmen Reese Foster, University of Tennessee In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd murder, in 2020, Black social workers are finding they are alone in coping with their trauma. - [Ditching a friend who is not like you can deepen social inequality]( Mark C. Pachucki, UMass Amherst; Anthony Paik, UMass Amherst When people cut personal, interracial or interreligious ties because of political differences, the societal impact can be the same as forced segregation. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](