'No Way to Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens explained

"No Way to Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens" is the title of a series of articles perennially published by the American news satire organization The Onion satirizing the frequency of mass shootings in the United States and the lack of action taken in the wake of such incidents.[1] [2] [3]

Each article is about 200 words long, detailing the location of the shooting and the number of victims, but otherwise remaining essentially the same. A fictitious resident—usually of a state in which the shooting did not take place—is quoted as saying that the shooting was "a terrible tragedy", but "there's nothing anyone can do to stop them." The article ends by saying that the United States is the "only economically advanced nation in the world where roughly two mass shootings have occurred every month for the past eight years," and that Americans view themselves and the situation as "helpless".[4] [5]

Background

The article was first published on May 27, 2014, following the Isla Vista killings. Since then, The Onion has republished the same article dozens of times in the aftermath of major mass shooting incidents, nearly verbatim, with only minor changes to reflect the specifics of each shooting. In 2017, Marnie Shure, the managing editor for The Onion, said: "By re-running the same commentary it strengthens the original commentary tenfold each time. ... In the wake of these really terrible things, we have this comment that really holds up."[6]

After The Onion republished the article on February 14, 2018, following the Parkland high school shooting, Jason Roeder, the writer of the original 2014 article, wrote that he "had no idea it would be applied to the high school a mile from [his] house".[7] On May 25, 2022, following the Robb Elementary School shooting, The Onion featured all 21 versions of the article they had written since 2014 on the home page of their website and on their Twitter feed.[8] [9] [10] The homepage feature was repeated following the July 4 Highland Park shooting, with the article count having increased to 25.[11] [12] As of October 2023, it has since increased to 36. Since 2017, the article has been republished for each mass shooting in the United States which resulted in ten or more deaths.

Reception

The New York Times wrote in 2017 that "with each use, [the headline] seemed to turn from cheeky political commentary on gun control into a reverberation of despair". Mashable wrote that captures that feeling of frustration and powerlessness" following major mass shootings as well as The Onion articles, adding that "[t]here's no shortage of brilliant Onion pieces, but none have resonated—or been as tragically prescient—like the 'No Way' post."[13]

The Washington Post wrote that The Onion "appears to capture the frustration and futility felt by so many people" following mass shootings, noting the increased Internet traffic the articles draw and how popular they are on social media. The Huffington Post said the articles have become "a staple of the social media response to mass shootings", citing how widely shared they are on Facebook and Twitter.

The Daily Beast mentioned the articles in a piece titled "How The Onion Became One of the Strongest Voices for Gun Control".[14] Similarly, Wired mentioned it in an article discussing the power of The Onion satire in the face of gun violence, titled "Only The Onion Can Save Us Now".[15]

List

, The Onion has published the article 36 times, each in response to a mass shooting in the United States.

Instances of the article being published
Publication dateShooting
1[16] May 27, 2014
2[17] June 17, 2015
3[18] October 1, 2015
4[19] December 3, 2015
5[20] October 2, 2017
6[21] November 5, 2017
7[22] February 14, 2018
8[23] May 18, 2018
9[24] September 13, 2018
10[25] October 29, 2018
11[26] November 8, 2018
12[27] June 1, 2019
13[28] August 4, 2019
14[29] August 4, 2019
15[30] February 26, 2020
16[31] March 17, 2021
17[32] March 23, 2021
18[33] April 16, 2021
19[34] May 26, 2021
20[35] May 16, 2022
21[36] May 25, 2022
22[37] June 2, 2022 Tulsa, Oklahoma
23[38] June 6, 2022 Chattanooga, Tennessee
24[39] June 6, 2022 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
25[40] July 4, 2022Highland Park, Illinois
26[41] October 14, 2022Raleigh, North Carolina
27[42] November 20, 2022Colorado Springs, Colorado
28[43] November 23, 2022Chesapeake, Virginia
29[44] January 23, 2023Monterey Park, California
30[45] January 24, 2023Half Moon Bay, California
31[46] February 14, 2023East Lansing, Michigan
32[47] March 27, 2023Nashville, Tennessee
33[48] April 10, 2023Louisville, Kentucky
34[49] May 8, 2023Allen, Texas
35[50] July 5, 2023Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
36[51] October 26, 2023Lewiston, Maine

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: The Onion's Las Vegas Shooting Headline Is Painfully Familiar . Ember . Sydney . October 3, 2017 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171005015841/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/business/media/the-onion-las-vegas-headline.html . October 5, 2017 . limited . May 29, 2022 .
  2. News: Why this Onion article goes viral after every mass shooting . Rosenberg . Eli . October 3, 2017 . . live . https://archive.today/20190915063118/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/10/03/why-this-onion-article-goes-viral-after-every-mass-shooting/?noredirect=on . September 15, 2019 . limited . August 20, 2019.
  3. News: How Many Times Will The Onion Have To Repost This Article? . Varagur . Krithika . December 3, 2015 . . live . https://archive.today/20191025203842/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/onion-article-shootings_n_566097abe4b072e9d1c53034 . October 25, 2019 . August 20, 2019.
  4. Web site: 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . May 27, 2014 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190119051901/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819576527 . May 29, 2022 . January 19, 2019.
  5. News: Sanders . Sam . #MemeOfTheWeek: That Article From The Onion About Mass Shootings . November 7, 2020 . . October 3, 2015 . October 29, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201029150748/https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/10/03/445266632/-memeoftheweek-that-article-from-the-onion-about-mass-shootings . live .
  6. Web site: Area Woman Interviews Editor of "The Onion" . Gillespie . Katherine . September 4, 2017 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190202025308/https://www.vice.com/en_nz/article/neegm7/area-woman-interviews-editor-of-the-onion . February 2, 2019 . November 5, 2019.
  7. Web site: Onion writer's routinely recycled mass-shooting headline hits close to home . May 29, 2022 . Koning Beals . Rachel . February 15, 2018 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190509210834/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/onion-writers-routinely-recycled-mass-shooting-headline-hits-close-to-home-2018-02-15 . May 9, 2019.
    - 963976307879985152 . jasonroeder . When I wrote this headline, I had no idea it would be applied to the high school a mile from my house. . February 15, 2018 . Roeder . Jason . May 29, 2022 .
  8. Web site: May 25, 2022 . 'The Onion' front page . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220525174531/https://www.theonion.com/ . May 25, 2022 . May 25, 2022 . The Onion.
  9. Web site: 'The Onion' has republished a grim headline about mass shootings 21 times since 2014 . May 29, 2022 . NPR . May 25, 2022 . Treisman . Rachel .
  10. News: Cantor . Matthew . 'No way to prevent this': why the Onion's gun violence headline is so devastating . 1 June 2022 . . 27 May 2022.
  11. News: Spangler . Todd . After July 4th Mass Shooting, The Onion Depressingly Reprises "No Way to Prevent This" Homepage Takeover . 5 July 2022 . Variety . 5 July 2022.
  12. Web site: July 5, 2022 . 'The Onion' front page . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705055754/https://www.theonion.com/ . July 5, 2022 . July 5, 2022 . The Onion.
  13. Web site: 'The Onion' keeps publishing the same mass shooting story, because we're all stuck . May 29, 2022 . Abbruzzese . Jason . October 3, 2017 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180217160842/https://mashable.com/2017/10/03/the-onion-keeps-rerunning-same-story-for-mass-shootings/ . February 17, 2018.
  14. News: How "The Onion" Became One of the Strongest Voices for Gun Control . Suebsaeng . Asawin . April 13, 2017 . . live . https://archive.today/20191025204414/https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-the-onion-became-one-of-the-strongest-voices-for-gun-control . October 25, 2019 . August 20, 2019.
  15. Only The Onion Can Save Us Now . Raftery . Brian . June 15, 2016 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160615213445/https://www.wired.com/2016/06/onion-can-save-us-now/ . May 29, 2022 . June 15, 2016.
  16. Web site: May 27, 2014 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190119051901/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819576527 . January 19, 2019 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  17. Web site: June 17, 2015 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214174001/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819577935 . December 14, 2021 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  18. Web site: October 1, 2015 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214174007/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819578287 . December 14, 2021 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  19. Web site: December 3, 2015 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214174000/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819578474 . December 14, 2021 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  20. Web site: October 2, 2017 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214174006/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819580358 . December 14, 2021 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  21. Web site: November 5, 2017 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214174002/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1820163660 . December 14, 2021 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  22. Web site: February 14, 2018 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214174011/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1823016659 . December 14, 2021 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  23. Web site: May 18, 2018 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214174008/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1826142891 . December 14, 2021 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  24. Web site: September 13, 2018 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151145/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1829032821 . April 12, 2022 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  25. Web site: October 29, 2018 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151201/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1830073842 . April 12, 2022 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  26. Web site: November 8, 2018 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151350/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1830308976 . April 12, 2022 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  27. Web site: June 1, 2019 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151155/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1835173950 . April 12, 2022 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  28. Web site: August 4, 2019 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151348/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1836949580 . April 12, 2022 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  29. Web site: August 4, 2019 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151146/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1836949715 . April 12, 2022 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  30. Web site: February 26, 2020 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151150/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1841942413 . April 12, 2022 . April 8, 2020 . The Onion.
  31. Web site: March 17, 2021 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151348/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1846494525 . April 12, 2022 . March 17, 2021 . The Onion.
  32. Web site: March 23, 2021 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151149/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1846534576 . April 12, 2022 . March 23, 2021 . The Onion.
  33. Web site: April 16, 2021 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151215/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1846698258 . April 12, 2022 . April 16, 2021 . The Onion.
  34. Web site: May 26, 2021 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412151214/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1846975039 . April 12, 2022 . May 26, 2021 . The Onion.
  35. Web site: May 16, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220516151731/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1848930767 . May 16, 2022 . May 16, 2022 . The Onion.
  36. Web site: May 25, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220525142054/https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1848971668 . May 25, 2022 . May 25, 2022 . The Onion.
  37. Web site: June 2, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . June 2, 2022 . The Onion.
  38. Web site: June 6, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . June 6, 2022 . The Onion.
  39. Web site: June 6, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . June 6, 2022 . The Onion.
  40. Web site: July 4, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . July 4, 2022 . The Onion.
  41. Web site: October 14, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . October 14, 2022 . The Onion.
  42. Web site: November 20, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . November 20, 2022 . The Onion.
  43. Web site: November 23, 2022 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . November 23, 2022 . The Onion.
  44. Web site: January 23, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . January 23, 2023 . The Onion.
  45. Web site: January 24, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . January 24, 2023 . The Onion.
  46. Web site: February 14, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . February 14, 2023 . The Onion.
  47. Web site: March 27, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . March 27, 2023 . The Onion.
  48. Web site: April 10, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . April 10, 2023 . The Onion.
  49. Web site: May 8, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . May 8, 2023 . The Onion.
  50. Web site: July 5, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . July 5, 2023 . The Onion.
  51. Web site: October 26, 2023 . 'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens . October 26, 2023 . The Onion.