Last night, a midnight show, there was a shooting in a Colorado movie theater. 12 people were killed, 51 were injured. Some of them were children. One of the victims was a girl who just escaped death at a shooting in a food court at the mall last month. She died during this shooting. I will not say this nut case’s name just so he can get attention and fame. My intention for this article was to give my condolences to the victims of this tragedy.
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The opening of The Dark Knight was one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Many people were looking forward to the premiere. It was all ruined for these people. And to think the next day families had to settle with the fact that their loved one wouldn’t return home. Children who were victims will be forever scarred. People will begin to blame each other. Things like “Why would you bring your children to a midnight movie? Shouldn’t they be in bed, getting ready for school? Such irresponsible parents!” That was just the imitation of the many comments I saw in response to the article.
Don’t they feel guilty enough in their minds without people saying insensitive comments like that?
They are already thinking of the “what ifs” and the “could’ve, would’ve, should’ves” without people throwing their flaws in their faces . These people will fear leaving their homes, doing day to day things like going to the movies. They were just trying to enjoy the movie. No one anticipated that someone would take The Dark Knight THAT seriously. And if we were in that situation we wouldn’t be as “smart” as we expect others to be. What a lack of compassion! Think of the people who never got to see another day,and now are going to rot in a cold ground, having no chance to form relationships, or tell anyone good-bye, or get that Kingdom Hearts video game they’ve been anticipating for years! People are blaming the school system, the government, the white people, the black people, the parents, the Republicans, the Democrats, Obama, George Bush, gun laws, the neighbors, and blaming the people who got killed for their own deaths! I bet the guy who did all of the shooting was blaming someone too. But it begins with you. What are you doing to stop violence? Stop blaming others. Of course, I know people blame because they want to fight. They want to find someone to take their anger out on. But blaming won’t solve the problem. Helping prevent something like this will.
This does bring me to another point. I don’t want to sound like a “soccer mom” or a boring, rigid prick, but I’m going to make the point. The Dark Knight has very dark undertones that attract the more edgy sub-cultures of society. People who connect with The Dark Knight see themselves as being a part of the dark side. Of course, everyone loves Batman and the movie, but just know that there will be the people who enjoyed Batman for it’s psycho-maniac theme involved. This wasn’t a Disney movie he decided to enter. It was a movie that had more of a connection to his purpose for being there. Batman has always been the dark hero with the controversial themes. That’s why we love him, but that’s also why people who look to dark themes as a hobby might love him too. With all the action and violence in the movie, it will attract those people who love weapons towards the movie too . I mean,the movie didn’t make them do it, but it is one of the reasons someone like him might’ve been attracted to the movie. Do you see someone like him entering into the movie Brave and getting away with it? No. It would’ve been more obvious. The Dark Knight is attractive to the rebels of society, the adolescents seeking independence from the world, and it gives the “fed-up” murder ideas.
The Dark Knight movies out of all of them seem to carry an air of “bad luck”. A couple of weeks after the premiere of the first The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger killed himself unintentionally. Now after the premiere of this movie, some nut-ball shoots up a theater. This is sort of giving Warner Bros. a bit of a hard time. The Dark Knight brought out such themes as questioning “hero-ship” and downfall of heroes. The villains act as terrorists in the series. Characters like the Joker are idolized and glamorized as being “funny”and “cool”. Just Google in the Joker and you see his picture plastered everywhere. One even dares to say he is their hero…Might want to talk to that kid right now before he imitates. Look at all the merchandise that came with him! It’s no wonder the killer told the police that he was the Joker.
Look at how glamorized the criminal Joker is! Isn’t he cool? They even have t-shirts for him!
I mean, it’s not like we should blame video games and movies for the way people act. That’s not my point. I’m not saying that violent video games will INFLUENCE kids, even though sometimes they do (personal experience through someone else’s kid). I’m saying a kid’s entertainment says a lot about their PERSONALITY. The type of entertainment can give us insight into to the type of person we’re dealing with. We know that when we go to see movies like the Dark Knight what kind of people will be there. Just like we know when we go to see Brave, the vast majority of people in the ticket line and in the show will be little kids and their parents…and some Disney fans…We anticipate that the Dark Knight will have the strangest of people gravitating towards it because of the element and popularity. It’s unlikely that people would find a guy in the type of costume worn by the killer as alarming in a movie show like the Dark Knight than if a man dressed like that in a Disney movie; it would seem suspicious automatically.
The biggest question when it comes to kids playing violent video games and watching violent movies is whether they desensitize the generation and make them less compassionate. I believe it does. But what’s even worse is that the generation is in DENIAL that video games and movies have that kind of influence on them. And so when things like this happen they just say, “No he was crazy, it wasn’t the movie that made him that way.” But the Batman movie did give him an idea. It had something to do with this fiasco whether delusional kids believe it or not. The real reason why people are in denial is because they are afraid that restrictions will be placed on movies and video games that are being released, which could limit our freedoms. Which is understandable, but the true answer doesn’t lie in avoiding the issue. It lies in analyzing and reflecting on yourself and the issue. Then helping someone else to analyze it. Another thing I see too is that there is more violence in PG-13 movies than there used to be. These kids are so advanced, due to having so much access to computers and video games, that a children’s cartoon movie doesn’t appease them. They would rather be sitting in a live action movie where guns and sexual innuendos are present. When I was a kid, live-action movies would put me to sleep.
How is all of this going to affect the rest of us,the moviegoers? Well, just expect metal detectors and bag inspections the moment you walk in. That’s going to take up some time so make sure you come early so you won’t miss the movie. It’ll be like going to the airport now…It only takes one cunt to ruin it for everyone else. Oh and trust me, there’s going to be a big debate about gun control, and the question of whether citizens should own a gun. Why did he do it? Who knows…The answer might be because he is just insane. Whether he had a motive for killing a dozen people, it was pure insanity to take whatever frustrations out on innocent lives. However, I do feel if people knew the true answer, it could possibly give them closure because it would make people aware of the issues that young people face today. This could lead to people trying to help them so they won’t ruin others’ lives. Of course, this is if he needed help. Some people just want to prove how smart they are by outsmarting the police. He was a college goer. Some people who go to college think they’re so smart and powerful that they start “Power-trippin”.
Some people say having less guns and putting restrictions on guns can prevent gun violence even more. And while I think it would stop more people from having easier access, it may not stop violence itself. Anything can be a weapon, even our bare hands, if used inappropriately. However, guns have shown themselves to be a deadly and destructive weapon and able to kill more than one person at a time. But where do we stop with our restrictions? Some guns have helped people protect themselves. And on a one-on-one basis, can serve as a protection. Restrictions bring me back to the Prohibition days. That was meant to prevent violence as a result of alcohol…and that was a major FAIL. Even though Japan outlawed guns, and they were reported to have the lowest crime rate in the world…
Not doing anything about gun control can obviously prove detrimental. On a one-on-one basis, guns can be protective, but in an incident like the movie complex, imagine everyone standing up and firing at the person. Even though all those people might hit him, there’s a chance all the chaos and fear might cause people to unintentionally kill each other if they had poor aim or someone got in the way. And I mean if guns stopped production, no one would have a gun and killing dozens of people would be much harder to do. Guns bring out a spree of mass murders. So restrictions can prevent some gun violence actions in the case of a large crowd. But on a one-on-one basis, guns can be useful.
I don’t believe that guns should be outlawed, but I do believe we need restrictions, just like we have on cars, airplanes, and anything else.
So anyway,I just want to send my love and thoughts with the families.
Generation Next 