I tend to stay away from hot button issues. They're polarizing. They're very emotional. Half of the population instantly becomes a suspect in your sudden yard-sporking incident. I try to refrain from those things to a great extent. Still, there are those times when, in the course of human events, I become so frustrated that thumping someone upside the head would only end up with my talking to people who turn tricks for a living in the cell next to me (and I'm not talking magicians).

That said, I have to admit that NBC isvastly more unintelligent than even I gave them credit for.

I can not believe the amount of press this numpty gun man is being given on the cover of every paper and every station nationally, both in terms of television and radio. It's a given that there is a nation of people looking for reasons to explain these circumstances. There are people wanting to know where to assign the blame. That said, leaked plays of the disturbed English Major hit the internet within 48 hours in an effort to show deviancy in the suspect and to shed some light on the issue more fully.

That's to be expected.

What to my wondering eyes should appear, the very next day, gun-man (I refuse to dignify him with a name other than colorful epithets I will invent at my whim) had made videos, gave props to the Columbine numpties (referring to them by name-aw... how sentimental), and put together a media press package to mail to NBC. I thought, "YEAH! You go, NBC! You won't fall into the trap and air that garbage!" This was going to be sweet justice. A gun man who wasn't going to get his way. I knew NBC would soon be handing over those tapes, instead of turning into a television circus version of a cheap, sensationalist tabloid.

No sooner did those thoughts of praise leave my brain synapses than NBC was splashing this disturbing video footage and pictures everywhere-- And I do mean everywhere. Faster than Lindsay Lohan out of rehab and more powerful than Britney Spear's hopes for spontaneous hair regrowth, news outlets all over the world have their greedy fists on advertising and ratings and are broadcasting the glory of the numptygunman to everyone. Thanks NBC. Take that, victims and your family!

I have three words: Bad move, McFly.

NBC should be renamed Numpties Broadcasting Carelessly.

It's bad enough that we are ingratiated by disturbed people deciding that they can externalize the blame for their horrific actions, and put the responsibility on the victims. It's a win-win situation for the shooter.

Add a killer's press package for immediate release, and you add instant reprobate glamour.

As a nation we gasp, and NBC gives this guy what he so terribly wanted-attention. The victims are quickly and easily forgotten as we commence giving the murderer all he ever hoped and more.

And it's not even bad attention. It's playing right into what the Virginia gunman wanted. He wanted to be a martyr. Thanks to NBC, he's now a martyr. He wanted his videotapes seen. He got Sanjaya-plus coverage.

Thanks, NBC. Way to go on being more predictable than Paris Hilton minus underwear.

I can't believe I'm actually having to write this. Things like this are so patently obvious that it is painful.

But, NBC, assuming you really do have some functioning cerebral function that hasn't fully short-circuited (and that's a mighty big order considering you obviously got an order of carnage and then super-sized it and asked for the toy surprise), I have an idea. Nnnkay?

What if we decided to give all of the press to those 30+ victims instead of the maniacal shooter in those attacks this week?

What if, instead of airing all of the stupidity this fool put out on videotape, we provided coverage of those killed or injured on all of the major news channels and across news channels, radio waves and in print?

What if, instead of encouraging future gunmen, we give the glory to those who have lost their lives and not to the numpties who brandish firearms, get the glory and never live to reap the consequences of their actions?

What if, instead of making national news of the infamous, we make the victims famous?

Wow. What a downer that would be. Like a cold shower or picturing a politician naked, the romance of acting out against society suddenly disappears. There's no positive externality. No oomph. No martyrdom. No fame.

Not for the shooter.

So why are we continuing down that same path, knowing more gunmen are being groomed by this event, and in no small order due to Not Being Clever?

There must be a caveat in the news culture where the victims and the heroes are celebrated, have press releases, and receive the glory, and the murdering, narcissistic hopefuls never get their day in the spotlight.

I can't think of anything they deserve less.