We Don’t need an Einstein to stop American Gun Violence
If Albert Einstein was an idiot, his quote, defining insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”, could have been what set him on the path of becoming the theoretical physics genius that made him so famous.
Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, and liberals, not willing to adhere to Einstein’s sage bit of wisdom on insanity is making one thing clear: When it comes to the debate over how best to solve America’s gun violence problem, we are all insane idiots if we do not try a new approach.
Once again, the debate for and against stronger gun laws has been regurgitated by yet another series of mass-shootings. And “Experts”, called upon by various news organizations are back on our TV screens debating what more to do, to stop senseless gun violence. This includes the same old tired blame game, or finger-pointing rhetoric to shame Congress into action.
Well, I am tired of hearing the same old “Solutions” to get Congress to act from the experts enough to offer a new approach.
Whether it’s the myth of the NRA is so powerful, or the truth that Republicans continue to stand in the way of meaningful gun legislation, have you noticed how quiet the filming industry has been during every mass shooting? Why is this?
I suspect the reason for the silence is because the film industry, led by hypocritical Hollywood loves its gun violence movies too much to get involved.
Of course, it is ultimately the responsibility of Congress to pass laws that help keep us all safer. However, since one side of Congress is not willing to budge enough to make real change on gun safety to help reduce the number of mass shootings in America, it is incumbent upon us all to be more creative, or else…
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors are proud of the fact, it passed legislation to ban plastic straws. But when I suggested this legislative body of The City pass a law, banning the filming of any gun violence scenes in the City and County of San Francisco by the film industry, the suggestion fell on deaf ears. Keep in mind, one such member of our legislature boasts of her being a “Gun violence prevention activist.”
No city in America has ever banned Hollywood/film industry from filming gun violence from their communities. And some might think such a ban will not reduce the problem of mass shootings in this country. I disagree.
In fact, I predict it would be so successful it would start a trend to where many cities, big and small, will see this new approach has merit by first telling Hollywood we have a “No gun violence filming zone.” Once local communities get the attention of the film industry, the industry as our new ally can show Congress just how small the NRA gun lobby really is.
Hollywood has influence and power that the NRA dreams of having. But Hollywood needs to be called out for its complicity in American gun violence due to its silence.
And if local governments like San Francisco; a barf-bag full of its own hypocrisy will not be first, to take such a stand against Hollywood and the entire film industry, I know there are some heroes in Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio who will.
