If there is any small bit of positivity one can take from the school shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut earlier this month, it's that it will hopefully force a sober and frank discussion about the profileration of assault weapons and the ease of access to guns and ammunition in this country. And indeed, many quarters are calling for stricter laws or even bans to be drawn up around the type of weapons that were used by the killer in Newtown. Staying mostly silent until now has been the NRA themselves, but today they finally held a press conference (but didn't take any questions) and seemed to dust off a speech that was two decades old.
NRA VP Wayne LaPierre once again trotted out the tired argument about violent video games and movies being the culprit, and then went on to cite two movies that are so old, it more or less just established the organization/lobbyist group is preferring to stay entrenched in their longstanding stance. Here's an excerpt from the speech via WHNT:
And here’s another dirty little truth that the media try their best to conceal: There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people.
Through vicious, violent video games with names like Bulletstorm, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat and Splatterhouse. And here’s one: it’s called Kindergarten Killers. It’s been online for 10 years. How come my research department could find it and all of yours either couldn’t or didn’t want anyone to know you had found it?
Then there’s the blood-soaked slasher films like “American Psycho” and “Natural Born Killers” that are aired like propaganda loops on “Splatterdays” and every day, and a thousand music videos that portray life as a joke and murder as a way of life. And then they have the nerve to call it “entertainment.”
But is that what it really is? Isn’t fantasizing about killing people as a way to get your kicks really the filthiest form of pornography?
So yeah, nothing new here. And in addressing the topic of how we care for the mentally ill in this country, the NRA's lone suggestion is to create a national database to track the crazies. And in summary, they believe that more guns in schools and basically everywhere will keep everyone safe. Needless to say, the NRA is standing by Charlton Heston's "cold dead hands" routine to the bitter end, even it runs counter to the mood in the country, where even moderate members of the group are willing to concede some changes for the greater good.
This issue won't be going away anytime soon, but expecting that an increase in guns and a decrease in supposed "filthy" entertainment will lead to less gun crime only makes sense in Bizarro land. Feel free to share you thoughts on this issue with us below.
Two great points all people for stricter gun laws should have in their "arsenal"-no pun intended..1. There were two armed security guards at Columbine 2. When Gabby Giffords was shot and 6 people were killed in Arizona, citizens had guns on them. It obviously didn't help prevent the six deaths that occurred and one man admitted to almost shooting the wrong guy.
The plan to introduce more guns to schools is so fundamentally flawed its unbelivable. If this "plan" gets introduced, it'll be only a matter of time before someone slips through the net and commits a mass shooting in a school that they have volunteered to protect. Please, Please, will you just wake up and stop this nightmare from continuing.
My favorite part is how Wayne LaPierre is too lazy to look up any recent violent movies so he just goes off on the ones they were blaming for Columbine.
I blame automatic weapons of all sizes. No one is saying a citizen can't own a hunting rifle, shotgun or revolver, but what does a person need an automatic sidearm or rifle to defend himself from??
Revolvers, long guns, shotguns all legally available. Anything more than that, has to be justified. Unless a suburbanite is planning on partaking in a running gunfight with gangs or drug dealers, anything more is totally unecessessary! How may would have died in the last year if the shooter had to fumble to reload a revolver?
Do the math, I'm sure it will be really easy math for some….
The United States has the lowest homicide rate since the early 1960s. I think violent video games probably decrease violence in society, because all the little 16 year old boys are at home playing video games instead of getting high and stealing and breaking shit.
This might be a dumb question — but why is no one suing gun manufacturers? Jeez, nobody made people smoke, but tobacco firms have been sued up the ass — I'd rather confront a smoldering cigarette than a loaded .45.
And, puhleeze — I bet the average NRA nutjob freakin' LOVES gun movies. Talk about two-faced, head-in-the-sand asshole, that's you Mr. LaPierre.
Well, I obviously can't speak for anyone else… but after these two films I went on a killing spree that resulted in the deaths of over 27 people… but that's just me.
These movies and videogames are sold all around the world… if what the NRA says were true, why these killings only happen in America? It could be because it's one of the countries where you can find weapons easier? Please! It's true that media has a powerful effect on society but please, how can these NRA crooks wash their hands like that? Disgusting bunch of weirdos who only care for selling more guns!
I think it is important for us as filmmakers and artists to examine ourselves…to deny that our medium isn't powerful and influential is idiocy. Ad agencies wouldn't spend millions of dollars for a 30 sec super bowl commercial if our medium wasn't powerful. I believe we have a tremendous responsibility.
Billy: Now Sid, don't you blame the movies. Movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!
http://cinemanerds.blogspot.com/2012/04/natural-born-killers-1994.html
NRA leadership, not the smartest bunch of guys in the world. Idiots.
it's just sad to watch them scramble and cop out of having and participating in the necessary discourse following the newtown tragedy.
I donât like violence anymore than you do. Violence is a bad thing. If movies caused violence, weâd be able to wipe out violence tomorrow â BOOM, no more films. Thatâs fine with me, Iâll find something else to do.
LOL! American Psycho is about the shallowness of the 1980s yuppie culture and Natural Born Killers is a direct reflection of the media's obsession with serial killers. Morons!
Bullshit, I love American Psycho and Natural Born Killers and I've never pulled a gun on anyone.
wow fucking morons. for the 50th time, other countries watch violent movies and play violent video games too.
what DG said
The NRA can go eat shit and die