Movies: The Hobbit and Lincoln

First I should make it really clear that I'm not a movie reviewer and frankly hardly ever go to the movies. I like to watch older movies in my home environment. I can control the snacks, volume and even a restroom break if needed. Having said that, I did have the opportunity to see two movies over the holidays and they're both worth seeing in my opinion.

The first was The Hobbit. I saw it in 2D and have no idea how I'd survive the 3D version. This was my first expierience with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series so I didn't know what to expect. I was never able to read Tolkien. I think I was supposed to in school but just couldn't get through any of it. My loss I'm sure. The movie was great. I really enjoyed it. From talking to others, this movie will help me in viewing the others relative to context. Anyway it's a good movie. I saw it in a Big Box Theatre in New Jersey. Big comfortable seats. Volume that was annoyingly loud. I hadn't had lunch and have to watch my diet relative to popcorn so I looked for some alternative. What I say next makes no sense for someone watching what they eat. There they were on the menu board - 4 Nathan's Hot Dog Sliders. Almost as soon as I ordered the sliders and the oversized soda, I knew I had made a mistake. The sliders were awful but I managed two. Into the show washing everything down with that big soda. About two hours into the close to three hour show, my kidneys were ready to blow. I made it through but still think I may have damaged some body parts. I validated my choice for home movies.

But I knew I wanted to see Lincoln and I wasn't going to wait for a DVD or Cable. This time I went to a small hometown theatre. The volume was much better and having learned my lesson I was able to purchase a reasonably sized soda. I bought an oversized bag of candy and settled in. This is another great movie, different of course but really well done. Lots of dialogue that requires concentration. The relationships between Lincoln, his Cabinet members and his political friends and foes are really interesting. Plus he has his family relationships that provide challenges along the way. I've heard that the movie is historically accurate but I have no idea really. Interesting to see the similarity between historic and contemporary issues relative to political issues. The bottom line is that it really is a great movie with some really great acting. As I said, I saw it in a small hometown theatre. As the movie ended there was silence. A few young women toward the front of the audience began applauding and were soon joined by others in the audience. I don't think this happens that often but I was glad to join in. I have read and heard about different reactions - people sitting in silence contemplating what they just saw is one.

All of this may change my view of movie going but I do still like some of the old timers and also like that environmental control. We'll see.

Congress Can't Act! Good Luck!

This morning, Dec 21, 2012,  I watched Morning Joe on MSNBC and various reports on what happened in Congress last night ( a failure to garner enough votes for  what's been called Plan B). One of the guests was Congressman Tim Huelskamp from Kansas, who helped hold up last night's plan. It was absolutely amazing to listen to this fellow who seems to have enough other friends ready to bring this country to not only the brink but to the actual jump off of the fiscal cliff. Here is a link to the conversation they had this morning specifically about the tragedy in Newtown, CT. The Congressman's position on everything seems to be no compromise, no change. With his thinking there just can't be any change or compromise on either budget issues or assault weapon control.

The Conversation - Guns and Mental Health!

Yup. We have to have it. A real conversation about guns that includes a conversation about mental health. One of the first things we need to do is to make sure that we don't confuse developmental disabilities (like autism and Asperger's Syndrome) with mental health or mental illness issues.

This is important because there are reports about how the shooter in Newtown may have had Asperger's Syndrome. People with developmental disabilities can indeed have mental illness but let's be sure that we understand, that is different then their developmental disability. This is important because stigmas come quickly and people make judgements about groups of people easily. It needs to be a part of this serious conversation.

We have to talk about the changes that have happened in mental health systems since the early 80's. Changes that resulted in less funding and reduced community supports for people who had received prior supports in institutional settings. The dollars never followed these people to their communities because the ultimate decisions had to do with reducing costs and state/national budgets.

We have to talk about bullying and it's impact on young children and teenagers. That discussion will force us to talk about teen suicides and perhaps other forms of violence that follow. Drugs, alcohol, domestic violence and other issues will undoubtedly surface in a serious discussion. Finally, the discussion has to include conversations about our culture of violence that is seen in movies, TV, and in video games.

That's before we even get to guns. The guns and munitions who's sales have skyrocketed in the past few days. We have to talk about that! Yes, we have to have an honest discussion about weapons that shoot 100 + bullets per minute. Why? What are they needed for? We have to talk about how violence begets violence and how armed teachers may make sense to you but don't make sense to me.

There are politicians and people with questionable interests who seem to make these conversations harder. They are finding all kinds of reasons to protect the status quo and their own view. They need to know that it's time to stop. Stop being silly. Stop repeating stupid talking points about the second amendment. The conversation is much more serious. It's about stopping the violence and the safety of children and the general public. So let's get on with it.

Picking Up The Pieces After Newtown

We have to do this. We have to figure out what happened and what we can do. It's obvious that we need to do this for the sake of victims, their families and ourselves. I, like others, have watched images and listened to stories coming from my TV. There were times that I couldn't watch anymore and had to turn the TV off. But I returned often, catching up, trying to understand.

One alternative was to try to find the good out there. The things going on that can make you smile, feel good and understand how people support each other everyday. I spent time watching people at a Holiday Party for people at The Arc of Schuyler and their families. A good thing. I watched members of the Watkins/Montour Rotary Club volunteering at that event serving food, making people smile. A good thing. I participated in and watched people pushing back at a meeting with my local Congressman, Tom Reed. Asking about what he was going to do about taxes on the middle class and on the wealthier among us, about health insurance and the environment. All good things. I spent more time looking at young children, the age of the victims in Newtown. Looking at them a little closer and watching how funny and mischievous they can be - to the point of making me and their parents laugh. Good things.

I thought about other good things. First responders in every community ready to be at any kind of event, some serious, some not. I thought about school and non profit administrators who many times are criticized but who think about and prepare for events like Newtown on a regular basis. I thought about Teachers, direct support professionals, counselors and everyone else who works in settings where they make choices every day about making peoples' lives a little better, a little more enjoyable.

There are other things we need to do though. We really have to fix this or at least try. Something has to be done. Children deserve safe places. More guns and armed guards in schools, in my opinion, aren't the answer. It doesn't make sense that it's more difficult to get a job at a non profit or a school then it is to buy an assault weapon. Fingerprinting, background checks, required for hiring, but in some places nothing required for the purchase of destructive weapons. We have to recognize that as nonsense.

Why do people need a gun that can rip through and destroy a locked and secure door? Why do we own guns that are meant for military actions? There are many more questions and they need to be asked and talked about. And finally, mental health support and resources have to be looked at. We have to identify our failures in this area.

If we do this, we'll begin the process of picking up the pieces and hopefully begin the effort to at least try to prevent similar tragedies.

Trying To Make Sense of Tragedy

Like everyone else, I've been trying to make sense of the killings of young children and school personnel in Newtown, CT. and not having much success. Young children, just before Christmas, killed violently. I can't imagine the loss and heartbreak of these families and the fear and horror experienced by surviving children. Guns and mental health can and will be blamed. As many have already said, this needs to be talked about. We need to try to figure out how to prevent these events and how to support survivors but making sense of it probably isn't possible.