I’m not saying we need to see all these corpses…but then again maybe we do? Maybe that’s a way of driving into the heads of many of us that firing guns, dropping bombs, gutting, slaying, etc. actually have CONSEQUENCES, that is DEATH, loss of life, pushing up daisies, ground ZERO. Aside from the planes…I remember the image of the lifeless fire dept. priest and that AWFUL AWFUL medium shot image of people at the windows/ledges of the WTC building after a plane hit. But we don’t see it. All we see are tears, dirt and U.S. flags. That’s not enough. And hey, let’s turn to Afghanistan, Sudan, etc. where the U.S. has killed hundreds of innocent people. How many reports did we get about lost families? Did we hear from any heartbroken wives over recent lost husbands? Did we see any footage that suggested human loss? No, of course not (at least in the mainstream news), ‘cause that might actually make us question the actions of our countries.

(After I wrote this section, I heard an incredible story on the news that some Canadian police were asking kids to turn in toy guns because they felt that not only were the guns looking more realistic, but more to the point, they were contributing to a gun culture mentality. That is an astonishing and courageous thing for a cop to say today.)

Take A Serious Look
Now there have been some interesting takes on death in animation -- but naturally it comes from the indie side. Caroline Leaf’s The Street (taken from Mordecai Richler’s book) addresses the death of a grandparent from a kid’s p.o.v. Pierre Hebert’s Souvenirs of War is a blunt depiction of the deadly results of war. Estonian Heiki Ernits made a funny piece called Jacob and Death (1994) in which a man convinces death to let him live forever, only to find that when everyone else dies and the world changes, he finds himself very alone. In the end, he virtually begs death to end his life. And boy the Aussies are obsessed with death. Check out Uncle, Dad’s Clock, Sarah Watt’s film…I can’t remember the title...but it’s about losing a child… and specifically Dennis Tupicoff’s heart-wrenching films The Darra Dogs and the recent, Into the Dark.

There’s just so much blatant hypocrisy going on here: violence without responsibility, violence without effect, denial of death.

Why on EARTH would these producers/executives permit such extreme displays of violence in Batman, Superman, Justice League and Powerpuff Girls BUT not permit ANY hint of the results of these actions (beyond destroyed buildings), especially considering the HUMAN damage we saw done by the relatively recent destruction of three buildings in REAL life? How is this justified as RESPONSIBLE? Is this to ensure that children grow up continuing to believe that guns are cool so they remain easy prey for Armed Forces recruiters? I don’t know about the U.S. but before almost every feature in Canada there is this stylish, fast cutting Canadian Armed Forces ad that claims that it’s all about responsibility, technology, learning and teamwork… As my Asian friend Arnold once said, BAHAHAHAHAHA.

A Dose of Reality
Well, writing this ain't making me feel a whole lot better about the prospect of not breathing anymore. At least with all this mass media nonsense, I can use my brain and hand to just switch the television off. Sure it bothers me to come across the asinine shows or to see my 4-year-old suddenly fixated with the war toy section, but hey, I got a choice. If producers, creators and executives ain't gonna pull their heads out of their ass/wallet then thankfully there are logical parents who can actually speak with their kids and explain the consequences of these ‘toys’ and that particular cock driven alternative lifestyle choice. Ya know what? Why start or stop at toys? Go get the kid a real gun, take him hunting or to the firing range. Let him fire off a few rounds at a frog or the family pet, or better still, if there’s a terminally ill (or close to it) loved one around, load her up and let the kid give granny or Uncle Charlie their peace (and yours!)…or lower the enrolment age for the armed forces. Ever see Ivan’s Childhood about the kid soldier? That was great. They’re small, flexible and unmarried. Sure they can be a bit undisciplined and wild, but once potty trained they’re pretty low maintenance. Best of all, I bet they’re phenomenal with guns ‘cause morality ain't really creeped in yet…and heck, given recent events, some of these kids are gunnin' to go so there’s very little emotional baggage involved. Plus, lots of other countries are doing it!

Death was-is-will be. No amount of denial, repression or cinematic rejection is gonna change the fact that we’re gonna bite it. Thinking/talking/showing death ain't a bad thing because you are at least acknowledging its existence and in doing so are better stirred to get off your ass and live the life that gives you pleasure before you don’t have that choice.

Chris Robinson is but a man. His hobbies include squirrel taunting, goat thumping, meat dancing and elderly peeping. You can find the results at http://asifa.net/robinson