Blame rises

When I was a child, my parents sat me down and told me I could watch the movies they watch, but I had to keep in mind that they were not real, they were made for our entertainment. I watched movies as a young girl (under the age of 10) that were rated PG13 and sometimes R, including the first two Alien movies, the Terminator movies, Total Recall and so on. They still scared me as they are meant to, and I was welcome to leave the room at any time, but they never affected who I am as a person. I have never had any thoughts about exacting that type of violence on another human being.

I've played video games since I was aware and coordinated enough to understand what they are and hold a controller in my hands. Some games are violent and some are not; I play both, but they do not influence my actions. Again, “they are not real, they are made for our entertainment."

Cameron and I went to see Batman: The Dark Knight Rises July 20th at 12am. We enjoyed the movie immensely and praised it highly as we left the theater with our friends. More than a movie about violence and death, it was a movie about never giving up. “Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up.”

When we returned home we learned that a young man in Aurora, Colorado had dressed in tactical armor, fired smoke bombs and shot into the crowd after The Dark Knight Rises had started, killing 12 and wounding 58 more. The loss of life is nothing to take lightly and my heart goes out to the victims' loved ones. I cannot begin to imagine how painful that kind of loss would be.

People are angry and fearful right now. They want to analyze what makes this man (and other’s like him) tick. I’ve seen people blame the violence of movies and video games for the actions of individuals like this and I have to disagree. There are plenty of people who watch movies and play games that have never lifted a finger to harm another. If violent movies and video games play a factor, they are enhancing an issue that was already there to begin with. The people who commit murder have an underlying mental problem(s). Sometimes these mental problems are compounded with a rough home life. Needless to say their parents or guardians never discussed what is real or entertainment, and what is right or wrong.

If we want to improve the youth of today and tomorrow it needs to start with the parents. It’s up to the parents to set a good example for their children and nurture them into respectable human beings. Allow your child to experience the world, but have open communication with them and start a dialogue about what is right or wrong. Teach them manners and respect. Guide them.

No, I am not a mother yet, but I’ve thought a lot about this. I love and respect my parents, I feel they did a pretty good job raising me and I’ve realized we have always had good communication with each other. Good communication is the key to a good life and I hope to continue and improve upon that pattern with my own children in the near future.