HI GINNY!
Thanks for emailing. I received your note yesterday (with your Comments about my politically charged Imus Piece) & was busy working on today's Chicagology. It's done and now I am freed up a bit 'n byte to write to you!
One thing about America is that we can and do get the chance to write about things that are disturbing. When I was a kid growing up the biggest CRIME was later written about called IN COLD BLOOD by Truman Capote. A family of 4 were murdered out on the plains of Nebraska or Kansas (one of those quiet, peace-ful states) where you'd never THINK anything like that would happen. But it did. It basically was THE ONLY reported case that later got made into a movie, etc. I think this was even BEFORE Mass Media got so big that anything counter-active to society gets 'picked up.'
You had said in your BLOG: "I, like everyone else I know, was horrified to learn of the senseless violence and killing in Blackburg, Virginia..."
What's horrific to note is that this wasn't the first time that students have gone ballistic on campus. Since the early 90s, there must have been (at least) 10 such cases across the USA. Also, let's not forget that most 'inner city schools' do have metal detectors installed in their foyers so kids have to pass through those in order to get to their classes. Most institutions are set and ready for incidents like this and the Cops have SWAT (special weapons and tactics) teams that immediately step in.
Because of all this 'national craziness,' I'd say there has been a rise in Home Schooling altho I don't know what the Stats are. INSERT: If you google: Home School - the state you live in - National I'm sure there'd be lists available. I grew up in a very small town in downstate Illinois - Mendota, IL --- and collectively incidents like these never ever occurred (circa 1952-1970). Now, it's a much different story.
In the inner cities (as I've now been living in Chicago since 1974), it's very easy to get a hand-gun. The emergency rooms throughout the city are packed on weekends - esp. Friday & Saturday nites when more shootings occur. There's alot of love triangles; there are bitter boy-girl-friend problems and the big one is drug/alcohol usage which are the 3 major problems for all the gun-fare on the streets in our inner cities.
Because of politics, etc., some of this stuff DOES not see the 'light of day' --- because it would TURN PEOPLE OFF from coming into town. But again, if you look at the stats in small towns, there is a proliferation of the hand-gun. As Urban Sprawl heads out to the smaller towns, villages and burrows across the USA, drugs are spreading into Suburbia and beyond. Guns as easy to get as licorice at a candy store. Mix guns and booze/drugs and that's when 'all hell' breaks forth.
BTW, Ginny I was a Sociology Major in college so that's why I have pinpointed all this. Plus, I was the Founder of Cartoonists Against Crime (C)1991 after I myself was beat-up, robbed and left-for-dead in the lobby of my apartment building 2 days before Christmas in 1991. I find 'human nature' quite interesting...except wherever you go these days, you really have to watch your back.
CHANGING THE TOPIC NOW:
When I wrote the Don Imus piece on Tuesday, April 17, I did think twice - maybe 3 times --- on if I should CONTINUE to 'feed the fire.' Then, I thought for a moment. "Oh, what if I get sued since we're living in a sue-happy world." But since I came up with the ad phrase"Silmus Imus" piece (twinged with an Old Latin Verbage), I decided to run with it. The hard part that actually made me THINK was how to intertwine that Incident with Chicago and make it into a Travelogue --- which Hotels by City is (all about). Then, what U do in a case like that is JUST THE OPPOSITE. Instead of insult, you merely find something funny to accentuate and then if you really need to let off steam, you exercise and get all the bitterness out of your system. Voila: The Blog is done and YOU wrote! That's a positive, for sure, Ginny!
But yes, I do agree with you --- certain Mass Media Incidents as the horrific Shooting where all the People lost their lives sends a chill up our spines. After all: IF not for the Grace of G-d - it could have been US and/or one of our loved ones and it was to others. What I don't really like tho is that you never KNOW how somebody will take your piece. That is: IF YOU ARE ENDORSING the Act.
And since MASS MEDIA is all about Ratings and people innately like to be shocked, this is why these horrific incidents are brought to light. If doctors can figure OUT how these 'monsters' tick, they think they may be able to solve the problem. I'm just glad there is other programming --- educational TV (as Chicago's WTTW with Phil Ponce as the host) --- comedy networks --- PBS --- and others that let us learn something MORE pleasurable.
As you had stated in your blog above: How would we survive the constant barrage of terror? Would we have any means to stop it? Would we stay barricaded in our homes? Would we flee the country? Would we grow accustomed to living under such horrendous conditions.
All those questions are definitely thoughts that are discussed at Synagogue & Church Sermons as well as philosophy classes. We're all living on Borrowed Time when you think of it. It's much easier to do the WRITE thing than taking an Evil Route.
Thanks for writing your Piece, GINNY! It certainly made us think and appreciate Life for what it is!
Hey, if you're ever in Chicago - give me a call! I've been here for decades now --- it's a great City with everything you can imagine and worth the trip down!
Continued Success to you!
Cheers,
ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Koopersmith's Global Communications
"People read what ASK writes about..."
&
Chicagology 101
http.www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa/illinois/chicago/index.php/author/chicagoblogger27
Chicago, IL USA
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Emailed: Thurs., April 19, 2007 - 8:31 AM CST
