Following a tragedy like Friday's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., a pattern of response has emerged on Twitter. As user The 47th articulates, media members (and other tweeters) express condolences for the dead to the victims' families, wait a bit and then debate gun control.
U.S. Media:1. Honor the dead.2. Respect their families.3. wait a little till emotions subdue4. Give us ur 2 cents on gun laws.— The 47th (@THE_47th) December 14, 2012
Hoping to keep the national consciousness focused on the tragedy of the event, the White House has called for people to avoid discussions of gun control following this tragedy.
"I think that that they will come, but today of not that day, especially as we are awaiting more information about the situation in Connecticut," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney
Despite Carney's plea, Twitter users couldn't avoid the topic. In addition to Ryan Lanza, Newtown and #PrayForNewtown, national Twitter trends revolved around the discussion of gun control, such as #GunControlNow, NRA and Columbine.
Save the somber speech @barackobama - we want real action on #GunControl now: uniteblue.com/guns— Zach Green (@140elect) December 14, 2012
School Principal: A job that now requires a bullet-proof vest. @nra #guncontrol— Gaby Dunn (@gabydunn) December 14, 2012
40% of all gun sales by "private sellers", which include gun shows and do NOT require a background check. FACT. #guncontrol #CONN— Deborah NYC (@DebsWorldNY) December 14, 2012
This is now President Obama's biggest test - will he have the courage to stand up to the American gun lobby?— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 14, 2012
Did you know there was also a school attack at a primary school in China today? The attacker used a knife. No one died. goo.gl/bkJWt— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) December 14, 2012
Not all Twitter users believe gun control is the problem, suggesting other issues are at the core of the issues driving school shootings.
Using a tragedy to promote your gun control agenda is a shame...we have a spiritual problem, not a gun problem— Josh.O (@Josh_Point_Ooh) December 14, 2012
You give teachers guns or even have an armed guard this doesn't go down. Gun control is an idiotic concept.— Brock Fesmire (@Fes21) December 14, 2012
People blame gun control. I disagree. Give out carrying permits and well see who wants to go shoot a school full of teachers who have guns— Gerry✞ (@TheGerryOnTop) December 14, 2012
Beyond the Twitterverse, a petition was drafted on White House petition site We the People within hours of the shooting, called "Immediately address the issue of gun control through the introduction of legislation in Congress."
"The goal of this petition is to force the Obama Administration to produce legislation that limits access to guns. While a national dialogue is critical, laws are the only means in which we can reduce the number of people murdered in gun related deaths.
Powerful lobbying groups allow the ownership of guns to reach beyond the Constitution's intended purpose of the right to bear arms. Therefore, Congress must act on what is stated law, and face the reality that access to firearms reaches beyond what the Second Amendment intends to achieve."
Meanwhile, the nation's largest gun lobby, the National Rifle Association has been taking heat on both Facebook and Twitter. On a Facebook image of a daily holiday giveaway, Facebook users have flocked to the comments field to debate the NRA's role in national gun laws.
"When will we in America wake up AND realize that organizations like NRA are also the enemy to our families?" wrote Daniel Rosario.
As Mashable's Chris Taylor points out, it was the shooting at Dunblane Primary School in Scotland that lead the UK to enact stronger gun control laws.
Do you think social media users, through pointed tweets and online petitioning, can bring the gun control issue to Washington's attention? Let us know in the comments if you think this shooting will be the catalyst of change.