Shame on Us
It’s been about a month since the shooting at Sandy Hook
Elementary and I heard today that the top two box office hits this week are “DJango
Unchained” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D” (TCM3D). Shame on us and by that I mean mostly shame
on the men (not ALL men) in our
culture. What is this insatiable hunger
for violence??? And do you really
believe Quentin Tarantino that “make-believe violence” has no effect on the
masses when it’s in their faces big and gory over and over? Really??
Super shame on you!! I’ve heard
you interviewed, most recently by Terri Gross of “Fresh Air” and your snarky
response to her honestly very general and gentle question about this was truly
arrogant and ignorant…I think you need a spanking. Maybe YOU have drawn a sharp distinction
between make believe and reality, compartmentalizing thoughts can be very
handy, almost the opposite of fully integrating all of the thoughts in your
mind (integrity??). I will admit to some
issues myself with this and my judging you is MY problem. I have trouble with my judging of judgmental
people too. But I so worry about how
many lives you touch. I do get it, but I
am feeling you are something of a one trick pony…you engage many people with
your elegant satire and violence is one of your best tools. I apologize this is not just about you.
I wonder why we, the audience out there keep buying it. Why are we going to movies like yours and
movies like TCM3D in record numbers? Why
do people, and again I’ll argue mostly boys, love those violent video
games. And don’t even get me started on
porn. Is it simply testosterone? I know I would fight to save one of my children
or another loved one…maybe even kill (not totally sure I could though). But gratuitous violence for the sake of entertainment
makes me sick. And parents out there…
your children ARE seeing it, way before they are ready for it… almost
regardless of what you do. My own
children saw so many things before I thought they should and yes I bought my
son an Xbox and some shoot-em-up game (super shame on me!!) I did try to influence them in a positive
direction by repeating over and over my values with regard to these things. I think it had an affect, they are the most
wonderful peace loving children.
So what do we do about this?? Girls, ladies, mothers, chicks, females AND
gentlemen everywhere let’s step up.
Let’s boycott (girlcott???) violent entertainment. Really.
If your boyfriend wants to see DJango or TCM3D let him go alone. We NEED to make a difference.
And now about those guns…the NRA people are very effective
in some of their arguments. To the man
who said “the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun
(see, even THEY admit it’s the guys!)” I say… I can think of a few other ways
to stop him. You could spray mace or
pepper spray in his face or tear gas from a distance. You could tackle him and wrestle the gun away
from him. You could shine a blinding
bright light in his face and when he can’t see grab the gun. You could sneak up behind him and grab the
arm with the gun in it and pull it away.
You could blow up the entire building with everyone in it including
him. You could ask him nicely not to
shoot the gun. You could try to help him
with his issues before he picks up the gun….I have a lot more but you get
it. Just sayin, I can think of many more
ways to stop a bad guy with a gun other than a good guy with a gun…and I bet if
I can think of these ideas you can too.
And furthermore why does ANY civilian need a high power assault weapon
or a clip that fires many bullets in rapid succession? In case 70 deer come into his hunting area at
once and he needs to feed a lot of people…or he has a lot of refrigerators?? Keep your rifles NRA boys but BAN the rest of
those silly weapons.
About statistics, they are sooo flippin manipulatable they
should be outlawed (joke). Let me just
say this. Do you think if there are more
allergens in the air you are more likely to get a reaction? Or do you think if there are less people who
participate in the lottery your chances are better?? Or do you think if there is more chocolate on
the cake it will taste better??? Do you
think if there are more guns out there more people will get killed????
Seriously. And yes I know guns don’t
kill people (they are an inanimate objects) PEOPLE do…but just think this
little tiny scenario through…if you are a ten year old boy (or girl) having a
really bad day and you think “I’ll show them”…and you know there is a gun in
your dad’s closet (ok or mom’s) and you go get it and start shooting and say
kill your two sisters, your mom, your dad and then yourself…if that gun (super
fun gun!!) wasn’t there…would it have happened?? OK I think I am done with this
rant.
Will we EVER achieve Peace on Earth???
Linda Gleitz
