"The Ronan Report" provides insight about the activities at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Maryland, and about the changes taking place in healthcare today from a CEO's perspective.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Absurd Violence

OK, so last night I needed to do something other than work so I turned on the TV.  I happened to watch two shows back to back on Fox that were the most violent shows that I have ever seen.  The first was "Bones" and it was about a serial killer who tortured and then skinned his victim alive.  Not one of my favorite shows, and now I know why.  The second show was a new show "The Following" with Kevin Bacon.  I really didn't know what the show was about only that it was starring Kevin Bacon and I like him as an actor.  Now that show is one that I won't watch going forward--there will be no "following" by me.  It's about a mass murderer who has established a cult and they will pretty much kill people in the most violent, vicious ways possible week after week. 

The problem that I have is why does Hollywood get a pass on extreme violence?  Even the commercials during both shows were for upcoming movies that feature explosions, the firing of lots of automatic weapons, killings on top of killings.  But yet, Hollywood is boycotting the movie "Zero Dark Thirty" because terrorists were water-boarded in an effort to capture Osama bin Laden.  Give me a break!!! We are pretty much focusing on gun control to address today's violence; talk about missing the boat. 

What about mental illness and that so little is being done to address it? Funding is cut year after year and the rights of those who are severely challenged mentally seemed to be relaxed repeatedly.  Then there are video games; where is the policing in that industry?  In an effort to really address the violence in this country, we need a much more comprehensive approach and deal with all of the above, not just gun control.  We are so good at dealing with a fraction of a problem and then patting ourselves on the back while telling everyone what a great job that we did.

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