Oh, We're Having THIS Discussion. Again.

So the Virginia Tech Shooter watched Oldboy. And emulated it.

You know, we really should do something about these horrible films with so much violence. Maybe a ratings system, which gave a loose set of standards by which parents could deem movies appropriate or not. Actually, you know what, that's not enough...you'd really need to add some more layering to it. Oh, I know. Maybe if you created a magical system where there was a letter rating PLUS a short blurb saying why...sex, violence, scary images, etc. That would be great. And maybe you could tap the power of the internet somehow? And people could write reviews when they saw the movie so you knew not to take your 9 year old to Grindhouse. I mean, you have to get this info out there, since there's no movie info printed in the newspaper and radio and TV never discuss movies.

Oh, RIGHT.

If this turns into another bullshit "examination" about how video games and movies and whatever the hell else "make" people violent, I am going to be the one turning violent, because it's just such sheer lunacy. Here's the deal. I have also seen Oldboy. I even thought it was a badass movie. I thought it was well done although incredibly, deeply fucked up. You will note that I have not shot anyone, much less multiple people, nor do I have any desire to do so, NOR did I somehow feel an uptick in that motivation following my viewing of that movie.

I also have Marilyn Manson on my iPod.

I also have read extensively about the Dahmer gang, the Manson family, the Holocaust and a variety of other unsavory topics.

I not only am okay with Eminem's music, but I also think he's one of the most talented artists out there.

I watch violent sports like hockey and football.

And yet, somehow, I have managed to avoid killing or maiming people, as well as somehow not becoming a misogynistic bigot. Astounding! Give me a medal.

I have ranted a lot about personal responsiblity and the current dissolution thereof, and it just breaks my heart to watch this crap going on. To me, America has always had this image of being so fiercely self-sufficient and independent, and to see it degraded to finger-pointing whiny scapegoatism is just...gross. And scary. Music, TV and movies are not what turn kids and young adults violent. Shitty parenting and a lack of social structure does. I'm not saying that kids should be able to watch everything, nor am I saying that kids don't imitate what they see because clearly they do. To keep them from progressing into a state where they can justify taking out real violence and carry it out, you have to step up.

You hear this, Parents of America? YOU HAVE TO STEP UP.

You have to not buy the toy that comes with eight hundred teeny weapons. You have to tell your kids they can't watch 24 on TV. You have to tell them they can't go see Oldboy. You have to reprimand them when they kick adults or hit their siblings or fight at school. But the real magic isn't just saying it - it's enforcing it. You have to ground them and you have to take away their driving priviledges and you have to block the channels on TV. You need to put your foot down and LEAVE it there. And yeah, you have to do your homework. You have to KNOW what movies are on the No List and know who your kids are hanging out with. You have to pay attention to the TV shows the kids watch and keep tabs on their school work.

When did this become so horrifyingly rare? I remember being totally astounded when Columbine happened and the fingers all whipped around to...Marilyn Manson? How surreal was that? "Well he talks about all this bad stuff in his music and the kids LISTENED TO IT and bought it wholesale." Okay? You may not know this about Marilyn Manson, but you will do yourself a great service if you catch a documentary or TV show about censorship or something like that in which he is featured...it may be best to just close your eyes while he talks, so you don't need to deal with the cognitive dissonance and the effort required to stop looking at how effing odd he looks to listen to his words. I think we all know how I feel about grammar and proper speech and oratory and how there should be more of all of those things, and this all whirls around and spits out the result of my not using certain words lightly - one of those words is eloquent and I happily apply it to Mr. Manson here. He is an incredibly self-aware, erudite, eloquent man, with great insight into the maelstrom that is the Parental Advisory media world. He is fascinating. In any case, to think that simply listening to music with unsavory concepts or watching violent films and TV could cause people to turn violent when before their souls were comprised exclusively of puppies and sunshine is such amazingly escapist CRAP I have a hard time believing that ANYONE, much less many people, could ever offer up the concept with a straight face. And yet I saw it with my own eyes. Insane.

As Scarlett pointed out, it's unlikely that the VT shootings will stir up as much "Media = The Devil" nutbarism as Columbine since the shooter was so clearly unwell. There are other issues at hand here...the gun arguments have fired up, which is both good and bad. Good = people noticing that there are massive issues with gun policy in the US; bad = no one seeming to notice that enforcement and the lack of a cohesive, nationwide effective base system of gun laws are the actual problem. Rip out all the gun laws, form a national base level, and then let the states make stricter rules as they feel necessary. Although of course, this will never happen, because it would require a lot of work and resisting a lot of pressure from some very rich and very loudly annoying people on the part of Congress.

Side note: Whenever I say "Congress" what I actually mean "Congress minus Jim McGovern and a couple other people." I am pretty sure that if Jim McGovern was allowed to run amok for a season or two he would completely reform the government, solve world hunger, and have all the world's races and religions dancing in merry circles of harmonious adoration for each other. That's just how he rolls.

What a sad, icky way for America to be. Won't it be great when everyone sacks up and gets some work done?