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| July 21, 2012 |
I'm a Coloradan, but more importantly, a human being. And as a human, I'm finding it hard to focus on my writing, on my personal goals when there is so much sadness clouding my home state right now, over-shadowing my own heart.
When I heard the news Saturday morning, about a crazed gun man who opened fire on unsuspecting movie goers, there was a sickening feeling that started in my stomach and spread throughout.
After forty five minutes of news that showed repeated images of people crying, reports of injuries, dead, recaps of people crawling through pools of blood, and wondering if the hail of bullets was ever going to stop; I felt like puking.
I also felt angry.
Angry that someone so disturbed and evil attacked people in such a vulnerable position. We've all been to the theater. At best, there are two or three exits - for hundreds of people.
Sitting ducks.
That's what comes to mind when I think of a sold out theater. Those people were sitting there, in the dark, all lined up and completely unsuspecting. Enclosed, encased. The reports are seventy victims, twelve who didn't survive. Worse than that though, many people suffered two, three, and even four gun shot wounds. In reality, there are numerous "victims" moms, dads, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, grandparents, neighbors, peers, co-workers - who are all victims. They lost loved ones. Their lives are affected. The victims, are countless.
What all of this really made me think about was writing.
Huh? You might say. Well, this person was a villain. He was emulating a character in a movie. How common is that? To the extent of this lowly act, not very but, common in general yes. Violence is in our culture. Songs, books, video games, and yes, movies.
As a result of all this exposure to violence, I believe we are desensitized as a people. Worse and even worse things happen everyday and some of us are actually not even surprised anymore. We see violence everyday, after all.
As a writer, all of this made me question the villains in my books. Are any of my villains shooting people? Giving readers any idea that violence is ok? Do I, in any way portray a likable villain in my stories? One that some one would try to emulate? It's just something to think about.
I'm not trying to be all kumbaya (which there is nothing wrong with, this broken world could use some kumbaya) or anything, I'm just saying. I personally don't want to put anything out there that would inspire a deranged mind to do something horrible.
Of course a deranged mind can formulate meaning that isn't there at all, creating chaos from nothingness; but still.
I know the kind of writer that I am, that I want to be. I want my influence to be for the good. The world has enough darkness, why not shine some light on it?
Speaking of vile villains, we got to see him today - the person responsible for the movie massacre. There was no remorse. He didn't even act like he was paying attention. Act. Is it just me or was he acting like he was completely out of it? Something careful planned and plotted for four months details competency for me.
And now there's anger again. Anger that this "case" is going to drag out for months and months, possibly years. Where's the justice in that?
There's been a lot of talk of what should happen to him. The bottom line is that no matter what happens to him, it will never reverse what he did. It will never make whole the shattered pieces of body or the pain and anguish in the hearts. Only one can make judgement on him, only God can bring justice to such a monstrosity.
A lot of people I know read for entertainment, for a break from the daily grind of their life, for a reprieve into a character's world. I personally, would like to see more stories where good triumphs over evil, where great people finish first, and stories that project a positive influence on their readers. As writers, let's create characters that if emulated, do good things, show perseverance and honesty. The world has enough violence in it, without tapping our imagine for more. Let's have more love stories, more life stories.
I know that I'm just one person, just one writer, and this is my opinion. But, seriously, why not?
My heart goes out to the victims of this awful act. We had a similar incident happen in our city just days before (gang members opened fire on a community bbq, killing 2 (aged 14 and 23) and injuring 23 others (including a 22 month old). I've felt sick to my stomach for the past week and in utter disbelief that such evil people roam the streets from Toronto to Colorado. It just isn't fair to the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Sarah. We are desensitized. I saw the Avengers in theatres yesterday and no one even flinched at all the gun shots and death. Meanwhile on the inside I was squirming.
Why not? Is a great question. We should be writing and reading more inspiring stories. The best stories, to me, are the ones that leave me wanting to meet the characters. Thinking about them constantly and wanting to know more. Violent stories rarely do that for me. In fact, violence is difficult for me to read, watch or write.
It is so true, we really are becoming desensitized to violence. Very sad. There has been the "mean girl" issue for years. We should start looking at what our children are learning at such a young age that they never learn that it is fiction and there are real consequences to actions.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. There is a huge difference between "tattling" and taking a real issue to a person you trust. Bullying in schools has gotten out of control. This topic raises so many others but, if we took tattles more serisouly, took everything at face value until proven other wise, I wonder how much violence we could prevent? I applaud the schools that have since inacted "zero tolerance" for bullies, fighting, and the like.
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