What do you say about an incident like the Aurora Theater Shooting? Is it a sign of our times? Is it about movie violence and video games? Already the questions about gun control have surfaced. Are we as a nation regressing to a more primitive state? Is the American civilization failing?
It’s often too easy to look at particular events and especially during a depressed time and see the fall of the west. But are we really in such a bad state?
You’ve heard the statistics. According to the FBI crime has gone down. Of course don’t look to Chicago when studying these stats.
What about violence in movies and video games? Well I certainly think we’ve gone too far in some movies, not because it causes more violence in society but because it’s not necessary for the story and is just gore. Who needs that? That’s not a rhetorical question. It appears some people do need the over the top detailed gore. But does that produce the kind of violence we saw at the Aurora Theater? I don’t think so.
Video games of course will be targeted again. Most video games appear to be first shooter types. I haven’t actually counted and compared as I’m not a gamer. My ten year old son routinely whips me at nearly all video games he has. Of course I then break out the Chess set to redeem myself. Are these often violent games the reason for mass shootings? Again I don’t think so. Too many gamers are perfectly fine.
Now the access to guns in America is always pointed to when such an event takes place. Yet again reporting seems to indicate that as gun ownership and concealed carry laws have grown overall crime is down. It would be great if we could simply wish guns (along with nuclear weapons) away, but we can’t. So we cannot allow just the criminals to have them? It is seldom the law abiding gun owner with a concealed carry license conducting these mass murders. Yet they are always the target for the social do-gooding attack dogs. Reality be damned.
Now the last item does concerns me. Are we as a society regressing? Do we seem more primitive and less civilized? On first look it sure seems like it. We are definitely turning into a dependent country. Soon over half of the country will be on the government dole. Could the lack of self-reliance and self-accomplishment which destroys self-esteem be the real problem? In our instant gratification society we seem to have lost much of the self-disciple needed for healthy lifestyles. I certainly think it’s a problem. But again, is it why people go off and kills dozen of other innocent people?
I don’t think you’re going to find a quick simple answer that fits the bill. There will be no silver bullet to shoot into the heart of the beast that will end these types of crimes. I guess you just have to be very aware and realize life is dangerous. That doesn’t make it better though.
Colorado Crime Rates
Uniform Crime Report Statistics
Note on the charts: Population increases must be considered. But they are interesting to look at.
