Murder in Colorado

Senseless slaughter at the hands of a deranged madman turns a harmless fan event into a night of terror, mourning and loss.

I often don't write about current events in this post. The folks over at CNN, the Huffington Post, CNN, FOX News and MSNBC have all that on lock down. But I'm compelled to share my thoughts in light of this past week's tragic shooting of innocent movie-goers in Aurora, CO.

Every aspect of this horrifying tragedy is a stomach-churning study of an American society victimized by it's own underpinnings and yet, at every corner there are hopeful glimpses of humanity and fellowship that brings as many joyful tears as the sorrowful ones already shed.

Machinations of a madman

Whack job...

What we know (so far) is that suspected shooter, James Holmes, a disturbed 24-year old neuroscience student had entered a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises with the intent of hurting and/or killing as many people as possible on the evening of 07/19/2012. This pre-meditated attack was meticulously planned with automatic weapons, shotguns, SWAT team armor and tear gas.

When the shooting stopped and the innocents were victimized, 12 people lost their lives and scores of others were wounded in the town of Aurora, Colorado. Holmes, who was caught in the parking lot of the theater, warned police of a series of explosive traps in his apartment and as he took on the persona of "The Joker", the famed fictional antagonist of the The Batman.

The Joker? Really, dude?

Media frenzy

Almost as soon as the news of this horrible tragedy broke, the questions of gun control, the moral fabric of society and the ethics behind movies like the Batman series came under scrutiny by everyone closed-minded, misinformed, over-opinionated idiot… uh.. expert that the news outlets could muster.

Should we have better gun control laws? How can Hollywood continue to make such violent films that have obvious consequences? How can we develop ways to protect our citizens form such outbreaks in the future? If more private citizens had been carrying guns, would  this have even occurred? Should the Department of Homeland security get involved. Should we ban costumes off people attending moves and trade show?

Could we all slow down for a moment here, please?
Lack of security did not kill those people in Colorado, neither did the status of gun control legislation or even the eccentric use of costuming at a harmless fan event.  This was the deliberate, premeditated action of one mentally ill man who would have found a way to harm a large group of people one way or another. Whether it was a state fair, a Saturday at the mall or a church. It wouldn't have mattered. He was determined to hurt as many people as possible and that is the beginning, middle and end of the story. I condemn Holmes for his cowardice, I fear for this man's callous disregard for the lives of us all and I mourn for the unnecessary loss of innocent lives.

Humanity rises

Stories of waived hospital expenses for the shooting victims, the ultimate sacrifice of those who took bullets to shield loved ones and of even Warner Brothers and movie star Christian Bale stepping up to show support are heart-lifting. Mr. Bale went to visit some of the victims in Colorado hospitals. Relief funds have been set up for victims and their families and an outpouring  of sympathy and support (like this post) on behalf of all the lives this terrible act of cowardice has touched.

The wrap up

I've shared with my children that they should not be fearful of going out to the movies. We should not rely on the Department of Homeland Security to tell us what and where is safe and we should not blame comic culture for Holmes' actions. Blame a sleep-walking society who missed every cue (and there were many!) of this man's building psychosis. Blame the lack of fail-safes that were not in place to stop someone this disturbed from getting, not only tear gas, but automatic rifles and police-issue SWAT tactical armor! 

Just don't blame "The Joker" from the Batman comic books folks... he doesn't exist.

Farewell to all the souls lost and shattered lives in the wake of the shooting. You all had come out to support a fan-fiction event, one I hold near and dear to my heart. As fans, as fellow citizens and as human beings–we are all tied together and I am saddened by your lives ending when they should not have.

Godspeed to you all of you on your journey beyond this–I know there is more than just this life. My prayers and thoughts for the loved ones you have left behind. You are loved and you will be missed. 

Shut that kid up!

You know the annoying kid that won't stop running his mouth during the movie? He's a real nuisance–and he's learned from the best.

"Why are they kissing?! Ewww–! Gross!"

WARNING! This rant is focused on the inexcusable behavior of parents who bring toddlers and preschoolers to movies that are inappropriate for their age group. If you are one of these parents and you don't want to hear what a crappy parent you are–please avoid this rant.

By show of hands, who here has been in a movie theater in the last six months to see a movie–meant for adults!–where some toddler is running his or her mouth asking "who's she?" or "Why did he do that?!" or laughs inappropriately too loud at events they don't even understand? If you raised your hand, then you have been the victim of social troglodytes who think none of us will notice a two-year old is watching a Rated PG13 or Rated R movie.

And they need to stand trial for their crimes against humanity.

Yes it is a free country and yes there is NOTHING keeping me in my seat when there is an annoying audience member who somehow has missed the general cues of  common behavioral etiquette. But I did not pay a $8-to-$11 single ticket price to hear your kid's inquisition of why each person on-screen is "not being nice" as they shotgun their way through a horde of zombies and/or aliens. 

"I don't like Emma Thompson–!"

Recently, a 21-year-old man was put up on felony charges for smacking the ever-loving popcorn out of the mouth of an obnoxious kid (age not disclosed) who was running his mouth, throwing popcorn and being generally unruly. You can read more here. Now I am NOT condoning hauling off and whacking some random pre-teen blabbermouth. That's not cool on every level. But deep down... way deep... we can all relate to how that guy felt.

As a parent, I'm compelled to offer three notable points to qualify my thoughts here. First, I disqualify any PG or made-for-kids flick. Anything with brightly colored characters, talking animals or inanimate objects–like cars or teapots–that have faces, are exempt. These movies are made for them. Second, while my children are all adolescents or teenagers now, I know kids can get chatty during a movie. Lastly, I fully understand that this is NOT the child's fault. Their dim-witted genetic sires thought none of us would mind if little Susie or tiny Timmy would share their thoughts on the film's finer points throughout the entire show.

"Why do they charge so much
for popcorn momma?!"

Be advised it does NO GOOD to confront these sub-human ingrates directly. They will argue with you, often right in the theater, and further disrupt the experience. You can opt to go tell one of the pimply-faced future brain-surgeons who are masquerading as ushers, but they tend to only grunt and point  toward the manager's station anyway.

The only way to get really back at these noise-makers is to hold the theater accountable, and that means putting on an unhappy face and marching ourselves, en mass, to the supervisor or manager's station and demanding a refund for the unacceptable environment created by these little prepubescent chatterboxes. It sucks of course, because the movie theater folks had nothing to do with it. But it is their job to police the audience  and keep the experiential damage caused by mouthy people to a minimum.

When we make the experience unpleasant for the movie workers, they will in-turn, make the prattling tyke in row six button his lip or even inspire their brain-deadened parents to re-consider being there in the first place. After all, there is always NetFlix. 

Let's face it, your three year old doesn't need to see a guy unload a full-Uzi clip into a crowded street trying to nail a bad guy and have 6,000 bullets miraculously miss every bystander for four blocks. Isn't it bad enough your kid's being read stories about bears eating porridge and dishes and spoons eloping?