Saturated with video violence

By Dave Petteys (dpetteys@comcast.net) (April 20, Hitler’s Birthday, and the Columbine anniversary) I am appalled by commentators who ask silly rhetorical questions such as “Why do such things happen?” or “How can we understand these events?” or “What’s wrong with our society?” It’s not rocket science. All they have to do is look around! We have wall to wall violence on TV, in movies -- and in video games.

In many of these games, your avatar is walking down a hallway, shooting to the right and left. Is it much of a stretch to see the connection to the killer walking down a hallway in a school, shooting students to the right and left, exploring the rooms and shooting those he finds therein? Just like a video game! What age and gender group are the largest purchasers of violent video games? The same age and gender group that were the killers at Columbine and Virginia Tech.

Of course the media moguls and their lawyers will huff, “There are no studies connecting media and societal violence,” and they will hire expert witness pimps who will confirm it. But common sense tells us that if society wishes to decrease the violence, it might start with major self-restraint in the media.

To the groups that howl for more gun control, that in itself is too small a piece of the puzzle to be effective. It’s like calling for a ban of table knives and forks to combat obesity. Think what the difference might be if movies and video games were more oriented toward non-lethal sports or constructive problem solving?

Irresponsible VT news coverage

April 18, 2007

By Dave Petteys (dpetteys@comcast.net)

It’s unseemly to be holding candle light vigils and to be squabbling over memorials even before the bodies are cold, to say nothing of the tedious 24 hour TV news coverage. But the most outrageous is the national airing of the demented killer’s diatribe!

It is a fact that in sports TV, cameras will NOT cover a streaker should one jump out and dash across a basketball court or baseball field. Why? To discourage others from following suit! Should not this common sense precept be applied to VA Tech style situations as well? The message the media is sending: “if you want your views broadcast nationwide, all you have to do is make a video tape last will and testament and create mayhem!” The killer did follow the publicized Hamas example to a tee.

If the Columbine count was around 15 and the VA Tech count was around 30, does this mean that the next number in the series needs to be 60 in order to get on TV news?

Freedom of speech does have a dimension of responsibility, something the media has apparently cast aside for expediency.

Unfazed by the gloom-mongers

By Krista Kafer (krista555@msn.com) A big home improvement project monopolized my time for weeks. As I tiled, painted, sawed and plumbed, emails and phone messages piled up. Newspapers and magazines went unread. Today I’m catching up and regretting it.

Thanks to the Denver Post I’ve learned that teens have been charged in the brutal slaying of one teen’s mother, conflict has erupted over the use of water, Democrats in the state’s General Assembly are pushing for gay adoption and voter rights for convicts on parole, and Iraqi terrorists have killed more civilians.

Not to be outdone, the Rocky Mountain News, features on-line pictures of tornado-wrought destruction, an article about another school shooting, and a tale about a counterfeiter who bought Girl Scout cookies with bogus bills (not a bad use in my estimation).

Captain America is dead according to CNN and a bunch of disgruntled Vermonters want to impeach the president says Time Magazine. Now that’s newsworthy.

In U.S. News and World Report I can read articles about the high cost of college, hard feelings in Chechnya, a new faux-documentary disproving Christianity, and an article lauding Hillary Clinton (usually it’s Barack Obama). Last week’s edition, as of yet unread, features “America’s Worst Presidents.” Maybe I’ll skip straight to the articles about nuclear war.

On Newsweek online I can be preached at by John Edwards chastising America who thinks Jesus would be disappointed with the US for not helping the world’s poor. When exploiting religion, don’t let the facts get in the way, John. Americans give away more money per person than any other country.

I’m four editions behind in the Economist. Which one should I start with, the edition with the stealth bomber “Next Stop Iran” or the one about global warming “The Greening of America”? The unread World Magazine is about modern slavery. That looks more promising.

It’s a good thing I started off today with National Geographic, my favorite magazine. I’m only two behind there. According to short article (sadly not available online) called “By the Numbers” Americans are substantially better off today than in 1915 and 1967, the two comparison years.

We live longer. The life expectancy in 1915 was 54.5 years. It was 70.5 in 1967. Today it is 77.8. We earn more. In 1915, Americans earned on average $687 ($13,284 adjusted for inflation) compared to today – $34,926. On top of that, we have more earning power. An American in 1915 paid an equivalent of $5.01 in today’s dollars for a gallon of gasoline and the equivalent of $7.22 for a gallon of milk.

Reading this was like discovering a tiny rose in a sea of thorns.

Are Americans so addicted to bad news that news outlets can’t afford to headline good news? It’s depressing. Moreover, bad news fuels duplicitous political dialogue as politicians capitalize on fears.

Al Gore preaches catastrophic global warming from his mansion, an energy black hole, to listeners apparently eager to hear it. Edwards evokes religion to pan American selfishness. Even though the economy is booming, politicians paint a dire picture to support more income redistribution, pork projects, tax and spend proposals, and regulatory command and control policies.

I’m done. The magazines are going back in the rack. I’m going to make a latte from my $3.25 gallon of milk.

Truman's daily prayer

The First Cold Warrior, Elizabeth Spalding's new book on Harry Truman, quotes this little prayer that the Missourian used daily during his presidency:

Oh Almighty and Everlasting God, Creator of heaven and earth and the universe: Help me to be, to think, to act what is right, because it is right: Make me truthful, honest, and honorable in all things: Make me intellectually honest for sake of right and honor and without thought of reward to me. Give me the ability to be charitable, forgiving, and patient with my fellow men -- Help me to understand their motives and shortcomings -- even as thou understandest mine: Amen.

I used this to open and close today's edition of Backbone Radio, remarking how different our political and media discourse would be if more us made this our standard of conduct and truly sought God's aid in living up to it. If only--

Tabloid embarrassment at the Rocky

Open letter from John AndrewsTo John Temple, Editor & Publisher, Rocky Mountain News

Dear John: Twice this week your paper has shown glaring lapses from journalistic standards and gross disrespect of important public figures. I and other readers expect better from the Rocky.

Policeman Ken Jordan's murder was ignored in the wording and dishonored in the tone of your Wednesday front page headline (print edition): "A cop's last stop: DUI suspect, 'tired of drama' with police, opens fire on Springs officer." A lawman who gives his life in the line of duty does not deserve such oblique, breezy treatment in a news story.

Congressman Bob Beauprez's honorable service and unsuccessful run for governor, supported by the votes of over half a million Coloradans, were bashed by the editorial spread on page 4A, Tuesday. The main story, though written straight, was undercut by ridicule in the photo caption: "You've got Bobmail." The mocking sidebar, "Extra! Were we at the same election?", should have been signed and identified as opinion -- if placed on the news pages at all.

Such juvenile attempts at irreverence are unworthy of a good high school newspaper, let alone a major metropolitan daily. Are you really so desperate to be in contrast with the Denver Post, to sell papers by appearing hip and cute?

You owe a published apology to the family and friends of the heroic Officer Jordan -- and in lesser degree to Congressman Beauprez and his supporters. Shame on the Rocky Mountain News.