Perhaps one reason that attitudes remained stable was how few saw the events in Tucson as a sign of broader social problems. Most (58%) Americans say things like this are just the isolated acts of troubled individuals. Only about half as many (31%) saw the shooting in Tucson as a reflection of broader problems in American society. By comparison, Americans were more likely to see broader problems behind the Virginia Tech shootings nearly four years ago – at that time, 46% thought the tragic events reflected broader societal problems.
Those who see broader social problems behind the shooting offer a variety of explanations. When asked to describe, in their own words, what the tragedy reflects in society, 27% point to problems in the social climate, such as the breakdown of society, the way children are raised, a lack of civility, respect, discipline and a general move away from religion, God and morality. But nearly as many (21%) believe that the shooting reflected problems in the political and media environment, such as political divisiveness and the impression that so many people are deeply unhappy with government these days.
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