Sometimes people do things that are difficult to understand. I'm still scratching my head over this decision by the WB to delay the second half of Buffy's season finale. Not that the WB has had a great history of good decisions (remember Michigan J. Frog?), but the logic behind this puzzler has really left me questioning their motives.

In a prepared statement, Jamie Kellner (WB President) said that they were pulling the season finale out of respect for the Littleton massacre, because the climax of the show has the Mayor terrorizing the students at their high school graduation ceremony as a sixty foot long serpent.

Yes, I can already see the many parallels.

(cough, cough)

Before I begin haranguing the WB for being such morons, let me make some points about the Littleton massacre, and the whirlwind it has since created.

Number One: the media has had a field day trying to pin down the culprits (because we know the individuals responsible for firing the guns aren't really responsible for their actions, nor are their parents for not noticing all the bombs being built in their garage). Taking the blame - heavy metal and Goth music, ultra-violent video games like Doom (which hasn't been played by anybody in what? Two years? Three?), and the glorification of violence in movies and television. If you believe what the media has been saying about this whole situation, every kid who listens to Marilyn Manson, plays Quake II, and watches The Matrix has the potential to go postal on his or her fellow classmates.

Number Two: the FBI recently released a report on crime that shows that the crime rate has gone down for the sixth year in a row, reaching its lowest point since World War II ended. Violent crime in this decade has dropped 28%. North America is less violent today than it has been in fifty years.

Number Three: Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a television show that promotes many positive ideas, including teamwork, loyalty, courage, honour, compassion, friendship, and girlpower. It's funny, but more importantly, it understands the world of high school extremely well. It's not a coincidence that the Hellmouth is directly under Sunnydale High, and it's not a coincidence that our heroes are also, for the most part, social outcasts in the context of their peers. Good always wins, evil always loses, and it is always clear that Buffy does not enjoy the violence necessary to do her job (in fact, the Faith character illustrated quite effectively the moral ambiguity that such enjoyment might create).

So what can we conclude from all that? Well...

Perhaps the media would be better served investigating stories that really mean something, like the hundreds of thousands of homeless people in North America, or the absurdly low life expectancy of the average black male, or the rampant corruption in our governments, or the ravaging effects our consumer culture has on the environment, or how five percent of the population controls ninety-five percent of the money.

We are a violent race. Have been throughout human history. What, do you think the American Revolution was settled by everyone sitting down and sharing thoughts over a steaming pot of coffee? Were Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Adolf Hitler, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar all tree-hugging peaceniks? Blaming violent behaviour on popular culture is a little like blaming Jim Carrey for making us laugh. It's in our nature to be violent, and yet statistics show that we are becoming less and less violent in recent years. In fact, I would say that we were more violent before television and movies came along, and as their effects become more ingrained in our culture, we will continue these more peaceful tendencies. I drive a car; there are a lot of stupid people on the roadways, and sometimes they get me angry. But I play a game called 'Carmageddon 2' that lets me smash into other cars and release some of that road rage without hurting anybody. I believe that this game gets some of my violent impulses out of my system. I have no doubt that other video games, like Quake and Half-Life, help people deal with the irritations and problems in their lives by giving them a place to vent their frustrations. This is a good thing.

Littleton was an isolated incident; that's why it sticks out like a sore thumb. It doesn't happen every day, and the time we spend endlessly going over the reasons why it happened could be better spent doing pretty much anything else. Parents: as long as you love your kids and watch out for them, they'll be fine. Kids: no matter how bad you think your lives are, there are people who are worse off, so stop feeling sorry for yourself and take some responsibility for how you live your lives. (If your life is pretty good, on the other hand, ignore what I just said)

Finally, we get to the WB. 'Buffy' does not glorify violence; it mourns it. 'Buffy' does not incite people to commit violent acts; it demonstrates the rewards of peace. The best way that 'Buffy' can respect the memories of those that died in Littleton would be to continue on as scheduled, because it is the best show on television, and the messages of hope, love, and courage it conveys to people of all ages are messages that need to be heard. Instead, the WB is punishing its fans and the viewing public in general because they don't fully understand and appreciate the value of 'Buffy', and I consider their decision an insult to my intelligence and sensibility, as should you.

People, there are disturbed individuals all over the place. Most are harmless; some are dangerous. If one thing doesn't set them off, something else will. We have to take responsibility for our own lives, and stop trying to assign blame on popular culture, which reflects our society more than it influences.

Comments, suggestions, flowery praises? E-mail me!


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