It’s The Other Guys
By Mitch Berg
Over the weekend I read this piece, about Hollywood’s hypocrisy about guns; they donate to gun-grabber groups, while making billions off of violence-drenched action movies (and living in many cases behind gates with armed security).
It’s nothing new, really – nothing this blog hasn’t been covering for years (although these two examples are still the most obnoxious).
But I thought this quote was interesting; a flak from “Everytown”, Michael Bloomberg’s gun-grabber group, reassuring Hollywood that it’s just not their fault:
“Content creators are quite anxious about that conversation, because they often feel guilty or wonder, ‘Am I somehow responsible?’ ” says Jason Rzepka, director of cultural engagement for Everytown, which launched a creative council in October chaired by Julianne Moore and whose members include J.J. Abrams, Judd Apatow and Jennifer Lawrence. “They are usually quite relieved when they hear that from all of our research on this subject, [Pfffft – Ed.] violence in television and film is by no means a primary culprit in our gun violence crisis in America.”
“Oh, no – don’t change your ways; keep profiting from the exploitation of consquence-free violence, while writing big checks to my employer”.
Let’s leave aside Everytown’s “research on the subject” [Pffft – Ed.] for a moment. I’m sure anyone claims that “The Expendables” prompted anyone to shoot anyone.
But does Hollywood’s well-trod market for violence without consequences (along with many other media doing the same) cause at least some parts of society that’s already full of fault lines over race, class and myriad other dysfunctions to think violence isn’t the worst possible solution to whatever ails them?
If it takes even one life…
August 16th, 2016 at 7:25 am
“violence in television and film is by no means a primary culprit in our gun violence crisis in America.”
What a wonderful sentence.
The online dictionary, as good a source as any, says that a ‘culprit’ is a person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault.
There can be, or course, only one ‘primary culprit.’ The word ‘primary’ means first in order, so the article ‘a’ preceding the word ‘primary’ makes no sense.
So a more precise way of saying the same thing would be “violence in television and film is by no means the primary culprit in our gun violence crisis in America”, which is a banality.
August 16th, 2016 at 8:01 am
Guns? In films? Someone figured out a long time ago that they kind of go together. Then they figured out naked people and film go together. Which is the greater sin, pornography or violence? – or is it all part of the same hypocrisy?
August 16th, 2016 at 9:07 am
One only has to look at how gangbangers hold their handguns to get a very clear answer as to whether films influence gun violence. Research that! Pffft, indeed.
August 16th, 2016 at 10:12 am
Where is your evidence that entertainment results in violence?
Once again, conservatives seem to struggle with grasping causation.
Other countries, with better gun regulation, engage in the same video games, watch similar movies and television, and have far lower rates of violence particularly gun violence.
GUNS seem to be the difference.
Your proof sir! It is again sadly lacking.
August 16th, 2016 at 11:36 am
Where is your evidence that entertainment results in violence?
Where did I say it did?
I did not.
Your selective disability as re reading comprehension reminds me of my “Springsteen is the best conservative songwriter” series. For week after week, you left comments saying “no, he’s not!”, to which I replied “Well, duh. Not him; his music”. Then, at the end of the series, you left a comment saying “well, duh – not him. His music”.
That’s why I’m frankly simultaneously tired of your habit of not reading responses to your comments, and find it such comedy gold. Your selective reading comprehension and apparent lack of self-awareness are occasional comedy gold.
August 16th, 2016 at 12:04 pm
Mitch, you linked to a post of yours from 2007 where
MalignaPenigma commented with his obligatory “Your silence on {blah blah} speaks volumes” or something.One couldn’t invent a more vapid character.
August 16th, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Apparently TV and movie gun carnage has zero effect on society’s violence, but if a person gets a peek at an Apple gun icon they go full Harris and Kliebold.
August 16th, 2016 at 2:30 pm
violence in television and film is by no means a primary culprit in our gun violence crisis in America
But but but….I thought violence in TV, movies and video games WAS to blame for our violent society??!?!
Somebody better tell Jack Thompson, the AACAP, the APA, and JAMA that they’re all incorrect and no longer relevant.
August 16th, 2016 at 3:04 pm
violence in television and film is by no means a primary culprit in our gun violence crisis in America
Of course not. The real culprit is Pop-Tarts gnawed into the shape of a pistol.
August 16th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Mitch, give DG a break.
After all, we all know that her reading comprehension skills were taught to her in the libidiot run publik screwel system. Obviously, it is not her fault.