LogFAQs > #965063883

masterplum posted...

I just completely disagree with your assertion that a boy committing a mass terrorism attack is less horrific.

If it was committed by a 13 year old would it really be better?

This isnt an alleged self defense or police violence situation where you could argue the age matters at all. He killed 10 people. At 18 thats horrific. At 13 that is arguably more horrific, but certainly isnt so less horrific we should accuse the media of having a bias because of one redacted AP headline

The act would be horrific if it was committed by a thirteen-year-old just as if it's committed by a fully-grown adult. But the younger the killer, the more inherent sympathy is afforded by society for the killer. I'm not saying anyone is going out there like "oh my God, that poor kid who shot and killed ten people". But there's a subconscious reaction to hearing a killer called a boy as opposed to a man: a man is inherently a threat and took his actions, fully aware of what he was doing; a boy is too immature to understand what he's doing.