As the nation faces the reality of massive gun violence, there is no question that the gun industry and the National Rifle Association must take some of the blame for the carnage.
But it is more complicated than that. The lack of proper parental upbringing of children is very evident as well, as anyone who observes the way children are allowed to behave in public places, and often has lack of parental supervision for a myriad of reasons, can testify to. Being a parent is a very difficult job, as this blogger can testify to, but in this age we are living in, too often parents abdicate their responsibilities for convenience, or in order to be “popular”. One cannot see parenting as a popularity contest, and one cannot be a “friend” of his children, but instead must be their model for future behavior and responsibilility.
At the same time, “pop culture”—meaning violent video games, and constant production of violent movies by Hollywood—must share a large load of the responsibility for instilling in children the images of constant violence with guns and other destructive instruments that promote death. Children are witness to constant carnage from a very young age, and for mentally unstable children and adults, this can lead to acting out in real time, as we sadly have seen multiplying in recent years. More intervention on mental health matters must be pursued, and if someone is shown to be dangerous, he or she must be reported to authorities, and privacy rights cannot win out over public safety, as too often has happened in recent tragic events.
So those in the video games industry, and directors in Hollywood who enrich themselves on the promotion of bloodshed and violence must be held accountable, and the American people have already indicated that these industries have a responsibility to prevent their profit motive from adding to the tragedy of gun violence, as much as the gun industry and the National Rifle Association.
Ultimately, better parenting is required, so as to monitor children utilizing video games, and the desire to watch violent movies. If people, with their money, refuse to buy video games and to attend showings of violent movies, those industries will have to reform themselves, due to the action of parents and adults.
It is time for action, not just talk!