The last time I went to see a movie in the theater we took
the grands to see Captain Underpants,
a decision their parents later regretted as the kiddos chanted “Professor Poopy
Pants.” Last evening my husband and I
went to see The 15:17 to Paris,
(rated PG-13) we were early and so we got to experience ALL of the previews.
We were shocked, stunned, and dismayed as we sat through at
least five (we lost count) previews of upcoming movies. Some movies were rated R but we were assured
the previews are PG-13, ALL of them involved guns, explosions, fear, violence,
creepy methods of control and or surprise.
This past week the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
School in Florida stunned our country and the world. We find it difficult/impossible to explain
the ability, and even the potential, for a single 19-year-old to walk into a
high school and using a semi-automatic gun, kill 17 people, and wound another 14.
As I was sitting in the dark movie theater, watching, and
hearing the gun fire and explosions, seeing the carnage, I was alarmed and had
to hide my eyes, over and over. It was
over powering my senses, it was scary, and I wanted to leave, get away from
it. BUT I thought there are people, who
are desensitized to this violence. Who like this genre of entertainment and what if, these movies and violent video games are
enticing young people. The majority of
school shooters are minors. Where do they get ideas like this? Planning horrific ways to get back at people
who have hurt them? Where?
I can’t stop thinking about how glorified the guns,
explosions, fear, and humans over-powering other humans, were in those
previews.
There are parents all over our country who use electronics to
babysit their children and do not have any idea what their children are
watching or games they are playing. I
have seen parents surprised reaction when they discover that their kiddos have
gone online and purchased something, without their permission.
I believe that this is an adult problem, not just parents
but all of us allow (or abdicate) the existence of the fear genre of
entertainment. We each have a responsibility
in our community and the culture we participate in. There are many facets to the school shooter--gun
violence issue, but pointing fingers at politicians, law enforcement and others
in authority obviously hasn’t worked. We
must look in the mirror and take a stance to make our communities safe. Do
something.
