In a recent CNN article, the mothers of children who survived a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, nearly a year ago were eager to watch the body camera footage showing the traumatic events that took place during the massacre. However, the District Attorney in Uvalde had locked down all investigative materials, leaving the families with unanswered questions.

Recognizing the families’ need for closure, CNN allowed them to watch the footage, even though it contained graphic and horrific scenes. The mothers, while tearful, watched intently as the videos showed the chaotic and harrowing moments when their children were rescued from the classrooms, bloodied and traumatized.

The footage revealed the delayed response and the 77 minutes the children had to wait for rescue, while officers debated what to do. The parents were outraged by the lack of immediate action and the distress their children had to endure. Despite the pain it caused, the mothers expressed gratitude for being able to witness the footage, as it provided them with closure and a deeper understanding of their children’s experiences.

However, reading through the report will show that CNN’s motives weren’t exactly as altruistic as they might seem. The author brings up Texas State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde and has been an avid proponent of gun control legislation. When commenting on the network’s decision to allow the mothers to view the footage, he compared it to the murder of Emmett Till, whose mother chose to let the world see her son’s face in the casket.

“We’ve all seen those black and white pictures of Emmett Till and we’ve seen the horror of what the society did, what the Deep South, what those murderers did to her little boy. The images that I’ve seen [of what’s] happened to these children is that and more,” Gutierrez said.

The lawmaker told CNN that he had “considered showing the image privately to senators blocking [gun control measures.]”

Rather than offering a comprehensive analysis of security measures or alternative solutions to prevent mass shootings, CNN exploited the mothers’ anguish to advance their own gun control agenda. CNN’s report centers on the emotional impact of the Uvalde shooting on the mothers, highlighting their desire to view graphic footage of the tragedy.

However, the author does not delve into the broader context of mass shootings or discuss potential security measures that could have prevented or mitigated the incident. By solely focusing on the grief-stricken mothers, tying it to gun control, it showed what its true motives were.

It is evident that CNN is leveraging the grief of the Uvalde mothers to advocate for increased gun control measures and no other solutions. The report implies that stricter regulations would have prevented the shooting without suggesting any proposal that would have stopped the gunman from victimizing those children. It was a brazen effort to use the emotions of grieving mothers to push for measures that would not have prevented the tragedy.

The report completely disregards the need for comprehensive security measures, including improved mental health resources, early intervention programs, and better coordination between law enforcement and schools. Instead, CNN focuses solely on pushing for gun control without exploring the potential ineffectiveness of such measures in preventing mass shootings.