By now, I'm sure you're all aware of the shootings that took place in Aurora, CO during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises". This is a truly tragic event of proportions that none of us can even comprehend now...or ever. After meditating on it for several days, I finally know what I want/need to say about it all.
Perhaps this claim will make me unpopular for a while, but hear me out...
The shooting in Aurora could very well become this generation's 9/11. Perhaps not on scale with the amount of victims. Not by a long shot. And I suppose that, seeing this act wasn't by an anti-American extremist group in the Middle East but by a loan American citizen, this could be closer to the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995. Once again, I'm not saying it in terms of victims, but in terms of what it means to us as Americans.
What scares me even worse about the shootings is who they were aimed at. This wasn't the act of the Taliban calling a jihad on us. This wasn't the act of a man severely pissed off at the government for what he felt were crimes against him. No. This was the act of one man, 24-year-old James Holmes, who, instead of instead of trying to punish the government, decided to take whatever demons were in his head out on a theater filled with men, women, and children who wanted nothing more to see "The Dark Knight Rises", the movie that people have been waiting to see for a year or more. This was a specific group of people he was angry at, where their only crime was going to the wrong showing.
Why? Who knows?
Some say he was convinced he was The Joker -- apparently he even told people he was The Joker the night of the showing in his head-to-toe body armor and gas mask. When searching Holmes' apartment, authorities found several items of Batman paraphernalia, including an actual Batman mask.
The point is not about why.
The point is that this sick bastard attacked these people in the last sanctuary for escape the majority of us have anymore. Sporting events are getting more expensive, and are weather permitting. Concerts are sporadic at best and are a hell of a lot more expensive than sporting events. And, yes, it's cheaper to stay at home and watch T.V., but, to get that true escapism without actually leaving town? You go to the movies. Don't believe me? Look at the box office figures for the last four years. Movie tickets have been selling more and more each year, and, because of this, we've been seeing an increase of actual quality in movies.
Now, at the most anticipated movie of, not just the Summer, but the year, Holmes opens fire. Whether you agree or not, the numbers don't lie. "The Dark Knight Rises", the only movie poised to beat "The Avengers"' stellar run, opened up at $160 million -- over $40 million less than "The Avengers"' opening weekend figures. I'll admit I was looking around the theater at every person who twitched in their seats or got up and left for any reason when I saw the movie.
Personally, I can't look at the footage of the shootings without thinking of the old theater I went to all the time. The shootings took place at a Century 16 theater in Aurora. For years, I lived in walking distance of a Century 16 that would spend literally full weekends at. For me, at least, this is simple...these shootings could have happened anywhere. So much that this fact more than likely scared many moviegoers away -- subconsciously or otherwise. No one wants to admit that James Holmes scared them, but, even if you go to the movies once a month or less, any one of us could have been one of the twelve unfortunate souls who lost their lives all because they have a love of the movies.
So, in the end, what do we do? Here's what I'm going to do...
I'm going to keep going to the movies.
It's not just for my obsession with the movies. It's not just because I cherish all my loyal fans like you reading this article. Both are true...
But if you think I'm going to let that son of bitch James Holmes stop me from going to the movies, you've got another thing coming.
There will always be mad men like Holmes out there. And the way to ensure he or any of them lose is to keep going to the movies. The amount of camaraderie at the theater has increased since all of this because now we're going to look out for each other.
Sorry, Holmes. After all your hard work, you're creating more closeness amongst moviegoers. It is a tragedy those poor souls died and my heart and prayers are with their families and friends. But to stop going to the movies would be to allow them to die in vain -- something I refuse to do.
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