Letter to Editor

[nybuckboy]

I'm thinking of sending this letter to the editor of my local paper. This is a first draft but would like to know your thoughts. Here is the letter.

With the new gun laws in NY state I'm sure everyone is feeling much safer now. Sorry for the sarcasm. Not too long ago I read where several hundred people showed up to support the dog who was left to starve to death yet the next week only a handful of people show up to support a meeting to help make our streets safer. I'm all for dogs treated humanely, heck I love animals and have had both dogs and cats my whole life.

What every fails to really see about safety on our streets and the streets of America, is where does the gun violence come from. One word - "Hollywood".

Senseless gun violence was not the normal 50 years ago. We had good wholesome movies and TV programs with often times a moral story. Not today! Just watch the previews for the movies coming out every week or the TV programs. I bet the vast majority of movies today are movies with gun violence.

It's either senseless sitcoms with laugh tracks or shows with a lot of killing. Hollywood is the movie industry and television, the real root of the violence. We as a society have become desensitized to killing. Until we as decent human beings decide to not support this violence no amount of gun law changes will do a thing.

More gun laws will do nothing to curb the gun violence. Remember, take the guns away from the good people and only the criminals will have guns. Stop supporting Hollywood.

 

[USMC1960]

Very Good

 

[BluesStringer]

Someone once said something to the effect that if guns cause crime, then spoons caused Rosie O'Donnell to get fat.

Same principle here - if Hollywood movies cause gun crime, then insert whatever absurd metaphor you wish to here: ____________________.

There is no "one word" that causes gun crime. There is no singular concept that does either. Violent crime of any kind is caused by a combination of varying circumstances amongst the criminals who commit them, including, but not limited to, from having a screw loose, to bad parenting, to sadism, deviancy and perversion, and yeah, to outside influences of which media (Hollywood) may be a small part, but which cannot definitively be attributed as the sole cause of violent crime.

I would advise against sending that into your local paper, unless and until you have some data, references and citations to give your potential readers as being something more worthy of being taken seriously and valid than just unsubstantiated opinions. I personally don't see the connection you're attempting to draw between Hollywood fiction and real-world violent crime. It would take a lot more than your opinions to convince me.

Blues

 

[jameshd]

To an extent, I have to disagree with you. When I was small, we had movies and television shows involving guns and violence. However, the good guys always won. They would take their eleven-shooters (the six-shooters weren't good enough) after the bad guys; the bad guys had just killed the banker, sheriff, and a couple customers, but they got away. The good guys always won, though, in the end. We did see more movies than television, but my first six or seven years we didn't even have television. I had to take a stick and pretend it was a gun when playing. If I got to be one of the good guys, I got to kill the bad guys and indians (I'm part indian; it didn't make any difference). If I was either an indian or a bad guy, I always lost. It seemed to work out that way, for some reason. This was 50 and more years ago, and the good guys always won. Then there were more television stations and movies around, and they got more violent. The so-called experts told us that we shouldn't have so much violence in the television and movies, so we reduced the violence. I can think of no reason whatsoever that violence has reappeared in movies and television, but it has. And it's getting worse all the time. Now the bad guys win sometimes. Violence is glorified for violence's sake. What I'm trying to say is that we had violence back then, but it was aimed in a different direction. What has changed is the direction the violence is headed. My primary question is, which came first: the real-life violence or the movie/television violence? Does real-life predict fiction, or is real-life a reflection of fiction? That's technically two questions, but they seem to me to have just one answer. Wonder which one it is?

 

[Dr. Dillner]

Your thoughts are too scattered and should not be in just one paragraph.
Try an introductory sentence that gives an overview of WHY you are writing, then bullet-ize your points in order to separate the thoughts.
At the end, give one summary sentence reiterating WHY you wrote it.
Finally, you have a split infinitive: "What every fails to really see . . ."

 

[JimTh]

Here is my observation about Hollywood...just a bunch of liberal dumbasses. I grew up in the 50's and 60's. We had cap guns and cowboy boots. We were shooting each other up all day long. The problem is the structural failure of our society's moral compass. In the 50's we had 2 parent families and one stayed at home. We had a Christian prayer to start off the morning in public schools, we had the Ten Commandments prominently displayed, we had corporal punishment in grade school...yeah they really beat us real bad all day long, after the principle gave me my well deserved whacks my father gave me a few extra for good measure. We had guns all over the house. I knew not to think about looking at them because I would be beat bloody with the butt of the gun I thought about looking at. We had respect for our elders...not just parents but teachers, neighbors, whatever. We could walk the streets alone back then.

Madelyn Murray O'Hare came along and took God out of the schools altogether. We had the National Organization for Women (the NAGS) tell us that the family did not require a parent to be with the children regularly. We had the politicians and courts tell us we could have no fault divorce...the family unit was meaningless. We had the courts declare that children had rights and therefore could wear anything they wanted to school. We had the courts tell us that abortion on demand was part of the living constitution. We have states across the country legalizing pot (please don't debate the goodness of pot with me...I was smoking that crap in the 60's and it has just gotten more potent)...yes I believe pot is a dangerous drug, why do you think the DEA classifies it as a hallucinogenic. We are now told that a man that wants to marry another man needs to have the same respect as the marriage between a man and a woman. Ask the editor in your letter that if they wanted a Godless society they got it...and now they need to stop bitching about the results. No...I don't care what nosreme and the other godless crank have to say.

 

[ezkl2230]

You should see if this article from Townhall has any info you can include: Thank a Liberal for America?s Gun Ownership - Michael Schaus - Townhall Finance Conservative Columnists and Financial Commentary - Page 1

 

[nybuckboy]

Thank you for the responses and all very good. This is why I asked opinions/thoughts before I sent the letter. Perhaps it could be changed to Hollywood could help in the killings by focusing less on violent movies.

 

[BluesStringer]

Thank you for the responses and all very good. This is why I asked opinions/thoughts before I sent the letter. Perhaps it could be changed to Hollywood could help in the killings by focusing less on violent movies.

The entertainment *industry* is a business. It produces products that sell. Violence sells. This is a capitalistic society. They are not breaking any laws, either moral or legal, by producing entertainment products that are either fictional or based on reality which include violence within the story-telling.

If you don't like what you see when you turn on your TV, change the channel. That's what the remote is for, to give you control over what you watch, not over what other people watch.

My wife loves HGTV. I can't stand its milquetoast, boring shows.

I enjoy Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad. My wife hates that kind of stuff. We have two TVs in separate rooms. Problem solved. Oh, and I've never committed a violent, non-defensive act against any other human being in my life, so Sons and Bad ain't workin' on me if their goal and/or unintended consequences is to cause more violence in society.

We both enjoy music, so when a concert by a band we both like comes on, we watch/listen to it together. It's called making choices that work best for you. Turn the channel, and please don't attempt to influence the entertainment industry to limit the choices I have and/or make for myself. Thank you.

Blues

 

[nybuckboy]

The entertainment *industry* is a business. It produces products that sell. Violence sells. This is a capitalistic society. They are not breaking any laws, either moral or legal, by producing entertainment products that are either fictional or based on reality which include violence within the story-telling.

If you don't like what you see when you turn on your TV, change the channel. That's what the remote is for, to give you control over what you watch, not over what other people watch.

My wife loves HGTV. I can't stand its milquetoast, boring shows.

I enjoy Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad. My wife hates that kind of stuff. We have two TVs in separate rooms. Problem solved. Oh, and I've never committed a violent, non-defensive act against any other human being in my life, so Sons and Bad ain't workin' on me if their goal and/or unintended consequences is to cause more violence in society.

We both enjoy music, so when a concert by a band we both like comes on, we watch/listen to it together. It's called making choices that work best for you. Turn the channel, and please don't attempt to influence the entertainment industry to limit the choices I have and/or make for myself. Thank you.

Blues

Blues... we all know gun laws aren't the answer to a solution of gun violence. We have a war on our hands. They are trying to take our guns away. It does appear that gun violence is rising, so when I suggest that a source may be contributing to this, rather than react the way you do why not try to offer other solutions. You say violence sells... They are not breaking any laws. I say say violence on TV, in the movies and in video games desensitizes people. This is been proven that when young people see graphic images of killing over and over and over it does desensitize them. How about you offer another solution.

Blues... I enjoy a lot of what you have to say on this forum and find you very informative, knowledgeable and helpful. I also find that you like to attack posters with some harsh words that are not really necessary. Why you do this I'm not sure.

The purpose of my rough draft was to get some thoughts on the letter. I know that it is more than just Hollywood that contributes to gun violence.

 

[BluesStringer]

Blues... we all know gun laws aren't the answer to a solution of gun violence. We have a war on our hands. They are trying to take our guns away. It does appear that gun violence is rising, so when I suggest that a source may be contributing to this, rather than react the way you do why not try to offer other solutions.

I did offer a solution - change your own channel and leave mine alone. I'm not at war with anybody. If war comes to my doorstep, I'll fight it with every ounce of free life I have left in this worn out ol' bag o' bones, but I won't try to justify limiting either the free market in the entertainment industry, or the choices that people have to the products of that industry just because my unsubstantiated opinions about it blames them for the world's ills, which by the way, mine doesn't, but apparently yours does.

Appearances aside, statistics show that crime has fallen precipitously over the last couple or three decades, which many attribute to the rise in the numbers of armed citizens. I agree that many, even most, in government would like nothing more than to take our guns away, but the plain fact is, they have failed miserably. Sure, you can point to specific areas, like CO, CT, NY and others who have allowed restrictive laws to pass, but the other side of that coin is that privileges have actually expanded in other states, my own state of Alabama being one such state. The entertainment industry had nothing whatsoever to do with either of those happenstances though, so why focus on it to the exclusion of blaming the tyrants passing the laws and the oath-breakers illegally and unconstitutionally enforcing them?

You say violence sells...

No, actually, ratings and the free marketplace says that, but go on....

They are not breaking any laws.

No, I don't say that, the law says that.

I say say violence on TV, in the movies and in video games desensitizes people. This is been proven that when young people see graphic images of killing over and over and over it does desensitize them. How about you offer another solution.

Proven to your satisfaction, maybe, not to mine. But OK, I will offer another solution: Parent your kids. Limit their exposure to the things on TV and in video games that you think are bad for them. How's that for a novel solution? Don't try to send the government to my door to tell me how bad my choices are for your kids! See, I don't have kids, nor am I a kid, so I'll thank you to leave me and my choices alone. Fair 'nuff?

Blues... I enjoy a lot of what you have to say on this forum and find you very informative, knowledgeable and helpful. I also find that you like to attack posters with some harsh words that are not really necessary. Why you do this I'm not sure.

What the???? Look dude, you made a post asking for opinions. I gave you mine and gave you my reason(s) for forming them. I haven't attacked you or your letter at all, I simply said why it didn't make much sense to me. If you don't want peoples' opinions, then here's another novel idea - don't ask for them. But if you do ask for them, don't come back wanting to argue about someone else's opinion that differs from your own. You only got a differing opinion because you asked for it. Put on your big-boy pants and take an honest difference of opinion like a freakin' man, instead of whining about being "attacked" with nothing more than an honest and politely-stated opinion. Good grief!

The purpose of my rough draft was to get some thoughts on the letter.

Apparently you were only lookin' for "atta boys" because giving you my honest differing opinion has somehow hurt your feelings.

I know that it is more than just Hollywood that contributes to gun violence.

I'd like to see where you've established that Hollywood has any real influence on youthful violence at all. So far all I've seen is your opinion that it is a "proven" fact or well-established. Literally millions of people per minute are exposed to media violence, and the percentage of those exposed millions who actually commit violent crime is but a tiny fraction, and the percentage of those who could be "proven" to have been inspired by the exposure to violence in media when committing their crimes is even a further minuscule fraction.

My opinion, which you asked for, is that you're barkin' up the wrong tree by trying to blame this on the entertainment industry at all, and if you want to show me that my opinion is erroneous, then provide something more substantive than your own opinion(s) to back it up. It's sorta like just throwing out there that crime is on the rise without checkin' first to see if you're correct in that assertion, ya know?

Blues

 

[dstryr]

My $.02, placing blame is preaching.

Point out that the home is where compassion and tolerance start, where discipline is learned, patience is honed. Point out that teamwork is almost always a better route than going it alone. Teamwork learned on the playground, football field, club or wherever teaches the value of relationships and human life. Point out Hollywood and the breakdown of family as some causes, but that the solution is not to take away one's God given right to defend oneself, nor infringe upon any inalienable right.

Point out the number of of rifles used to kill each year is less than the number of hammers or knives. Enlighten people to the facts that guns are used in far fewer crimes than what they would be led to believe by media.

Use facts, statistics and comparisons; that's what I'd be looking for in an editorial.

Write a few essays, turn them in over the course of several weeks, using fresh facts. Some people may miss all of the letters, some may read one or two, some may read all of them.

It takes awhile for it to sink in and repeated exposure to facts have a way of getting attention, even if not a conversion from a way of thought.

 

[mappow]

Just my observation of the "Hollywood Media" for the age I am. The change, dramatic change, came with two movies released in the mid-seventies;
Deep Throat and The Exorcist. Both drove the industry, regulators and citizens over the edge of what was normal. NOT saying it was a conspiracy just saying the Libs in Hollywood knew what agenda needed to be pursued and published. Never in the history of these United States had anything of this shocking substance been disseminated through the media. I believe this was the start of the de-sensitizing to sex, violence and the moral American Dream. Kind of like a calling card. (The Simpsons come to mind as well, but in the later years of the ability to disrespect your parents)
=
Again, propaganda through the film media is what Big Joe McCarthy warned all about. It has not only come to fruition but have spawned subservient followers and the denigration to the American way of Life.

 

[BC1]

Someone once said something to the effect that if guns cause crime, then spoons caused Rosie O'Donnell to get fat.

Blues

The progressives are now trying to sue the top players in the fast food industry for obesity in America. I watched this hack lawyer making his case last week on the news. Essentially they're blaming the gun for the crime again. The lawsuit also claims that persons of lower income are more likely to be harmed by McDonalds and Burger King. So then why are there fat wealthy people? Rosie O'Donnell has enough money to pay someone full-time to follow her around and slap food out of her hand, yet she's fat.