Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock on their new film about an America that has accepted gun violence as natural, and what we can do to reclaim the idea of safety
As a Canadian watching this discussion, I can only ponder over the expressions American Exceptionalism, Beacon of Liberty, etc. Kids growing up under the threat of mass murdering is indeed a sign of an Exceptional society. The only one of it's own kind. Liberty anchored in the principle of gun accessibility (the whole scam of SCOTUS ruling in favor of that trick that makes a gun - AR 15 -more lethal is truly Hithcokian) as a free for all destiny is mind bugling. Let guns be by-guns so as to stop the mass massacres of American BY Americans.
There are more guns in the United States than there are people. It' utterly disgusting and horrific! Just look at how many random shootings there are. GUNS NEED TO BE BANNED IN THE U.S.
Two memories came to mind as I watched this conversation: 1 - Years ago when CBS aired Schindler's List with no commercial interruption and no editing of the original film. One of the more striking comments from someone who was upset with CBS for doing this said that she found the use of bad language, i.e. cuss words, by the Nazi's to be offensive. Really??? That's what you found most disturbing? I mean, are you fu-king kidding me here?
2 - regarding where and how far do we go with the hardening of society and what the consequences are...the movie, Full Metal Jacket about the preparation of young men for war...the scene in the bathroom where Leonard has had a psychological break and the drill instructor comes in and says something like, "Pyle, you put that weapon down right now or you're going to be in a world of shit", to which the clearly mentally damaged Leonard responds, "I AM IN A WORLD OF SHIT!!". Then he proceeds to blow the instructor away and then blows his own head off. After watching that and other films about war, what I found myself saying was that I find it much easier to see myself "going there" so to speak than I do ever coming back from it. And, as we know, many people who go to war and survive it feel very much as if they "should" have died there. Coming "back" is too difficult. So, that is what I see happening to our culture as we continue to go down this road, i.e. creating a "normal" world that is, to me, insane, and not a world I want to live in. For anyone who hasn't seen Full Metal Jacket, sorry to give away a major scene, but believe me when I say that it is a must see film in my opinion. Just make sure you're in the right mood, whatever that means for you.
Powerful.
Someone commented on the YouTube trailer :
" In America our children must be brave so our leaders can be cowards. "
Lockdown
Second grade classroom
seven – eight year-olds
only now beginning
to touch the earth
with both feet
Blue and white pages on large desks
very small chairs
math exemplars
quest for knighthood, is it?
The press of time tart in the room
what a tyrant a minute can be!
Yellow pencils sprout
from each student’s hand
the unmistakable tang
of human activity vibrates
distinct as a well-known piece of music
A bell sounds and a voice, quiet, intones,
“The soft lockdown has commenced.”
The children line up
on “marshmallow” feet
against the wall
away from the view from the door
and wait
silent
The teacher standing before them
still
A moment later she starts
hurries to the door
locks it
The children wait
without sound
the clock
marches out its increments
for once audible
like a heart, breathless
The yellow light of autumn
bathes the room in tenderness
Never was a minute —
ten of them —
ever that long
long enough to think
every thought
The bell sounds again
and the voice, is it quavering...?
says very softly,
“The soft lockdown has been lifted.”
Of all the choices
and we do choose
Why this one?
As a Canadian watching this discussion, I can only ponder over the expressions American Exceptionalism, Beacon of Liberty, etc. Kids growing up under the threat of mass murdering is indeed a sign of an Exceptional society. The only one of it's own kind. Liberty anchored in the principle of gun accessibility (the whole scam of SCOTUS ruling in favor of that trick that makes a gun - AR 15 -more lethal is truly Hithcokian) as a free for all destiny is mind bugling. Let guns be by-guns so as to stop the mass massacres of American BY Americans.
There are more guns in the United States than there are people. It' utterly disgusting and horrific! Just look at how many random shootings there are. GUNS NEED TO BE BANNED IN THE U.S.
Two memories came to mind as I watched this conversation: 1 - Years ago when CBS aired Schindler's List with no commercial interruption and no editing of the original film. One of the more striking comments from someone who was upset with CBS for doing this said that she found the use of bad language, i.e. cuss words, by the Nazi's to be offensive. Really??? That's what you found most disturbing? I mean, are you fu-king kidding me here?
2 - regarding where and how far do we go with the hardening of society and what the consequences are...the movie, Full Metal Jacket about the preparation of young men for war...the scene in the bathroom where Leonard has had a psychological break and the drill instructor comes in and says something like, "Pyle, you put that weapon down right now or you're going to be in a world of shit", to which the clearly mentally damaged Leonard responds, "I AM IN A WORLD OF SHIT!!". Then he proceeds to blow the instructor away and then blows his own head off. After watching that and other films about war, what I found myself saying was that I find it much easier to see myself "going there" so to speak than I do ever coming back from it. And, as we know, many people who go to war and survive it feel very much as if they "should" have died there. Coming "back" is too difficult. So, that is what I see happening to our culture as we continue to go down this road, i.e. creating a "normal" world that is, to me, insane, and not a world I want to live in. For anyone who hasn't seen Full Metal Jacket, sorry to give away a major scene, but believe me when I say that it is a must see film in my opinion. Just make sure you're in the right mood, whatever that means for you.
I’m excited to watch this documentary. Thank you for this great interview!