Today a man named James Holmes unloaded on a theater full of people watching the midnight premier "The Dark Knight Rises". It is hard to even imagine being in a situation like that. What posses someone to plan out such an attack on innocent people? I just don't get it. How sick do you have to be to do such a thing knowing that there are children present? Is it for notoriety? Pleasure? Fame? Who knows all I can say is that I live no where in the vicinity of that movie theater and it has affected me greatly. There was an interview with a couple who had their 4 month old and 6 year old with them and explained how they had shielded their children from the gunman and prayed that it would work. This especially hit home since I have a 4 month old baby girl a 2year old son and a 6 year old as well. They were sobbing as they were recounting the event, and my heart just breaks for them. Luckily they all made it out alive and uninjured but sadly over 70 people were wounded and 12 were killed.
I have decided not to post a picture of this psychopaths picture because I feel the media is doing it enough and I don't feel he deserves any more publicity for his horrendous crime. This opens up a whole slew of debates that unfortunately I believe the presidential candidates will take advantage of....most obvious would be gun control and questioning the right to posses guns. Do I think that you shouldn't be able to posses a gun? No not really. You could maybe make a law that one would have to undergo a psychological evaluation before being approved for a gun, but most psychopaths are extremely intelligent and have been known to pass such a test with no problem. I think that if someone really wants to get ahold of a gun they will. People do it every day, in fact most of the guns used in crimes are either stolen or obtained in some other illegal manor.
I have spent most of the day watching report after report and reading story after story regarding this tragedy and came across some comments people made after the stories. Surprisingly a lot of people went straight to the video game blame. When is this excuse going to be put to rest. If video games influenced such events they would happen so much more often. I play video games that involve shooting and I have never had the urge to go out and start shooting people. In fact people who knew the shooter said he was an avid video game player , wanna know what he played the most? Guitar Hero. That's right, he played probably the most non violent video game that exists. This in my opinion it is NOT a valid reason to blame especially in this case.
The fact of the matter is that this was obviously a very troubled person who had serious mental issues. People who "knew" him, and I say that in quotes because no one really knew him, said he was very reclusive and quiet. Which is almost always the case. He kept to himself and when people do that no one sees them as a threat. Same thing will Columbine, which was only 15 miles away, those two were quiet, they were goth, but other than that did not attract attention to themselves. I can only try to imagine how the people in that community are dealing with this right now. Yet another resident of Colorado busts into a place armed and starts shooting for no reason, with no specific target. Most of the murders out there are not random. In most cases there is a target, so it is scary when you hear of such a random attack.
There are reports that the shooter dyed his hair orange or red and told police he was the Joker. If that doesn't prove that he is a demented mess I don't know what does. That is just that, I don't think there is much else to blame, not video games, or music, or the Batman franchise. What is next, are they going to blame the late Heath Ledger for his role as the Joker for this man going crazy and shooting up a theater full of people trying to enjoy a movie they have waited months for? There is no one/thing to blame but the shooter himself. I understand that when something like this happens people grasp onto anything just to be able to have an explanation, but sometimes there isn't an explanation. If anyone is looking to the shooter for an explanation I highly doubt that they are going to get one. Someone who thinks they are a fictional character in a movie is not going to give a straight answer as to why, because there is no reason. He did it and that's it. If there is any explanation it is that possibly he has always been an outcast or in the shadows and no one ever paid attention to him or even know his name. Now everyone knows his name, as horrible as it sounds he is famous. Not in a good way of course but famous nonetheless. Unfortunately Things like this just happen sometimes but we have to go on with our lives and stop living in fear. I am the last person who should talk about not being afraid of going on with our lives since I have only gotten on a plane twice since 9/11, and had a MAJOR panic attack each time, but it is true. We can't let THEM win. So please go see a movie if you want to see a movie, and fly if you want to fly (I will try to take my own advice), because it isn't healthy to live in such fear. Life is too short and you shouldn't let your life pass you by.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of those either directly or indirectly affected by this tragedy.
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