Another day, another movie theater shooting in America: Nashville Edition. Open Thread

I live walking distance to Hickory Hollow and I have never feared for my safety. Please tell me what you mean by “sketchy” and how it is a predictor for a crazy old white man going Mad Max at Mad Max.

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That’s a bizarre statement. I never claimed to fear anything. And yes, career politicians and career law enforcement positions are functionally different classes of people in most every culture. If your average person is not as likely to be the one creating and enforcing such regulations, then it is done by other classes. What I said is not that I fear this, but that some people refuse to accept it as being the civilized compromise many assume it to be. Some people being in charge to control others is, in a quite concrete fashion, the very root of the problem.

Thread drift however I think this take on Fury Road being feminist was pure marketing (which seems to have worked very well). It has a wet t-shirt contest in it! The women are not allowed to escape on their own - they need to have a male rescue them. Therons character at the end is literally brought to life by the blood of Max - kiss of a prince anyone?

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Gosh, even I’ve shot a gun.

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A Møøse once bit my sister… No realli!

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Multipul Møøse are called a Meese.

A heavily armed public certainly hasn’t been “controlling” the police very well so far. Statistically speaking you’re far, far more likely to be shot by a police officer in the U.S. than in culturally comparable countries. And they usually get away with it too, in part because “I thought he had a gun!” is a more credible excuse in a country where most people can easily get their hands on a gun.

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So, Britain is free from Authoritarianism and Classism?

I don’t disagree with you. But I also don’t understand how it is a reply to my comment. My concern is classism, the democratization of social life, not the odds of whether or not somebody shoots me. That might sound abstract, but some have tried, and my right to not be protected is still more important to me than than my survival.

The world is a vampire!

If “a militarized police force that guns down hundreds upon hundreds of American citizens each year” isn’t an example of authoritarianism then what is?

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This point you seem to be making, seems to be unrelated to the point I was making. I don’t believe in the institution or practice of police. The problem is not that there are weapons, it is that some people are considered police. People being in charge of other people is the very definition of authoritarianism, regardless of whether it appears to be benign or adversarial.

The UK has it’s problems with both but gun-control has little to do with it, other than to help keep some forms of authoritarianism in check that are far worse here in the US.

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I suppose you could always move to one of those places where there are plenty of guns but no functional police force and see how that works out. I suggest Somalia—even the kids are getting in on that sweet, sweet Democratic action.

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If “number of citizens killed by police” is any measure of Authoritarianism then they’re certainly doing better than the United States.

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So, which cinema chain is going to be the first to install metal detectors and ban all guns on their premises?

Probably none, because that would be an attack on “muh freedomz”! :disappointed:

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All the ones in Chicago proper already have signs. Possibly a few in the suburbs, but less of a liberal panic there about concealed carry.

Somalia is your example of a country which isn’t classist? It still has an organized military, and career politicians who claim to represent the populace. I am not sure if you are having trouble outlining your concerns, or being disingenuous.

How about the US? Until wealth had centralized enough to start creating police departments, a far greater percentage of the population had weapons, no police, and little crime. All it took was maybe one custodian, who was not any more especially well-armed than anyone else.

Part of what democracy means, direct democracy, is that no small group are put in charge of the others. When people treat each other fairly, whether or not weapons are present ceases to be an issue.

The contradition of “Freedom! Stop reading my emails!” Versus “You knew this person has mental issues, so why isn’t he under 24 hour surveillance?”