Editor:
Many years ago, before VCRs and cable TV, there was a movie shown on the West Coast. In it, street kids set fire to a homeless person. Within a short time, police had to investigate the death of a homeless man who was set on fire.
The movie was shown in the Chicago area. Guess what happened. Yep, another homeless man lost his life.
A short time after this, in the New York area, the movie was scheduled to be aired, but the police went to the executives of the TV station, and pleaded, begged for them to pull the movie from airing.
Most likely, you or I are not going to act out on what we see on TV. Most likely. "Television doesn't affect me or my choices," people will say. But why do advertisers pay millions for 15-second commercials during the Super Bowl?
Does it take one Timothy McVeigh to affect us all? One movie theater shooter? One Columbine? We in America have made murder into entertainment. For stable people. And unstable.
Art Cox
Daile
