Rebel Against Violence

My name is Harry Shamir, of Plymouth County, MA.

I call on all readers of this blog to join an initiative I hope will go viral, to create a campaign that will rebel against the training of our kids to violence and killing.

Since  Jan. 15, I have been active with others, to act to reduce the amount of education towards violence and virtual killing. I am referring to the training in unbridled savagery and absence of compassion, from playing violence based video games.

We claim such games are actually training grounds for reducing the value of life to something of no greater value than a finger micro-motion, even if the so called life is but an image on the screen.

It implants the idea that killing is fun. That killing is an acceptable social action.  That killing is what one does when in even the mildest of conflicts.  It is not brainwashing, it is brainfilthying.

We are motivated by the Sandy Hook experience indeed. But also by all the other events of late of similar nature, Columbine included.

Games in which death can be inflicted at no pain to the killer, without remorse of any kind, as a matter of pleasant pastime, is not Judeo-Christian, is not in keeping with modern western civilization, is nothing but extreme bullying, and it needs to be curbed.

We are not naive. We know it cannot be extirpated. However, we also know from history that some of the worst excesses of our human predatory and bullying nature can be curtailed. As evidence I offer the abolition of slavery, the abolition of the color bar, our society's acceptance of women as co-equals, the abandonment of sex as a tool of control, and the advances of late towards the idea that not ALL is allowed in love and war, especially war.

We are individuals, mostly citizens of small towns in out of the way places, but not out of the time we live in. I say that NOT taking action to reduce the worship of violence, NOT reducing the training of our children to violence, NOT reducing our kids' apathy to suffering even if only of a stick figure image on a screen, constitutes training them for the devil may care attitude necessary to wantonly maim and kill. Consider the repercussions of this training in the near future when weapons will be wielded at distance, out of sight, by video, as drones already are in the military.

I say we need to take leadership, if only because it is our duty as citizens, as parents, as civilized humans.

Yes, we are fully aware that the NRA is prating a similar line to exculpate guns and gun ownership. However, ours is a separate campaign, not to be commingled  with the NRA.

We hope to obtain widespread informal cooperation of all citizens and officials , and most importantly, of kids having the inclination to be active in fixing the world we adults are messing up.

Specifically for town governments and school administrations, we propose action as already taken by the town of Melrose, as told the Globe by Mayor Robert Dolan.  In Melrose, violent video games, movies, and toys of violence provided by residents, would be exchanged for some type of reward coupons. I ask that towns all across the USA do something similar. For drama it was suggested that crushing ceremonies be held in conjunction with the periodic Firemen & Police get-to-know-you days. Please ask your own Town to enact this As Soon As Possible.

Thank you for reading this. Please discuss with your kids, and TAKE ACTION.