Posted by Champ on April 26, 1999 at 02:08:08:
In Reply to: Violence and history, has anything changed? posted by Petra on April 26, 1999 at 00:17:22:
: History: Has anything changed over the centuries regarding the violence in people's lives? Was it worse in the "old days", with cold-minded monarchs, extreme punishments and torture, man-against-man wars? Or does today's easy availability of guns, etc. make killing that much easier?
>Interesting thoughts Petra....
I do wish to make a brief comment in passing on the "easy availability of guns"... though manufactured in greater numbers than in yore, guns have been just as easily avaliable since the end of the American Civil War, when surplus rifles and pistols were sold for a dime a dozen [so to speak], and with NO restrictions... and though some regions, or towns, then had as much violence as a modern urban area in comparison, I really feel that the blame cannot be laid so much on the gun as in the hand that wields it.
The real problem, that most [politicians, etc] are afraid to look at, and would rather slap a band-aid approach upon ["stricter gun laws" on law-abiding citizens] is the decline of morality in our society. As it sinks lower and lower, you will see more of an increase in violence I'm afraid.
The other "problem" is that we live in a "free" society, unlike any other, and to keep those freedoms we will have to endure such tragedies, unless America wakes up & finds its pre-war [World War 2] morality again.
As Americans, we respect law and order, yet we have an inheirant distrust of the government [and that is not necessarily an unhealthy thing]...
As for film, it can have an affect on some youth, case in point the movie "Colors". I recall that instead of "exposing" street gangs it tended to be misinterpreted by teenagers as glorifying them, and all of a sudden there was a nation wide explosion of street gangs. There are already age restrictions on films, yet I see them not enforced time & time again, the bottom line is the *buck*...
But certain *violent* films I think todays youth should see, the best two examples being "Schindler's List" & "Saving Private Ryan".
I myself took my 14 yr old son & 16 yr old nephew to see "Saving Private Ryan", not because I'm anti-war [I'm not, I served in the US Army during Desert Storm], but I wanted them to see what a "real" war & "real" violence looked like [as close as you can get without going to war], that it wasnt their Ice Cube- rap fantasy nonsense. I assure, the point hit home...
I dont have all the answers, but I do know that "punishing" law-abiding citizens is NOT the answer. Taking responsibilty for our own actions, spending more real time with our children, and resurrecting our country's sinking [post-WW2] morality is amongst the best answers I can think of...
Sorry I rambled on...just my feelings, and I will stand by them thru thick & thin.
"Champ"
Food for thought :
" This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!" --- Adolph Hitler , 1935