Michael says...
Shooting In Schools... 15 Minutes Of Fame
Last week I saw 15 Minutes, the new movie
starring Robert DeNiro and Edward Burns. They both turned in great performances,
but the real stars were a couple of unknowns. Perhaps you guessed, or knew, the
title is derived from the Andy Warhol quote that someday everyone will have 15
minutes of fame. The movie, besides being a good cops flick, is a commentary on
how certain television shows may provide that fame, and how that may figure into
the equation of why some people engage in ugly, antisocial, and sometimes even
violent behavior.
The violence by the in the movie
was initially out of anger, later to eliminate witnesses and pursuers. Although
one has to believe the killer had no conscience anyway, the killing is fueled in
part by the belief that it will help his planned insanity plea, as well as make
him more famous and therefore worth more in book and movie rights.
So...
shootings in the schools? Certainly these children are not thinking of book or
movie deals, yet it is clear that most are premeditated. No, they are not
all unloved or neglected at home, though one has to believe the parents aren't
as close to their children as some might like to believe they are (not to be critical...
but maybe we should all learn something from this). The children may not be
getting the necessary attention from teachers either; but neither are many other
students - whether due to class size or whatever other reason.
Some
school children are outcasts and rebels, and whether loners or part of a small
clique, very different from the general population. They know they are getting
attention for it too - some in fact are poseurs, role playing to get that
attention. One has to wonder if the attention in their school is just not
cutting it for some anymore and that it's not all hurt, anger, confusion or
revenge that causes them to bring weapons to school and use them, but that they
feel they've not yet achieved their 15 minutes of fame.
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