Blackbird

I think I need to get my act together as far as colleges go. It seems like most of my friends, even ones that often procrastinate, are well ahead of me in the game. Most of the deadlines aren't for a while, but I really want to get everything done by the end of the month. Hope that works out.

I watched Bowling for Columbine yesterday. It absolutely floored me; it's the scariest thing I've ever seen. The Columbine footage and 911 calls alone were terrifying. The worst thing for me was hearing Eric Harris' father's voice: "I'm calling about the shooting at the high school. I think my son may be involved." "Involved how?" How could you do that? How could you hear about a horrible event and connect it with your own child? How could you let it get to that point? I don't want to point fingers and blame it on that poor father--I feel very sorry for him--but on the other hand, how did he not see this coming but then know that his son could have been responsible?

Much of the rest of the film reminds me of the running discussion from psych class, about our culture of fear borne largely out of Columbine as well as September 11 (the movie also showed footage of the second plane hitting the WTC towers, which I had never seen before and which also was mind-boggling). I feel a newspaper editorial coming on, one that might relate to this year's new policies. For example, I heard that the reason we can't have water bottles this year is because "there could be anything in a water bottle." What is that? Of course there's always the chance of some insane event, but I don't see the need to punish the vast majority of law-abiding students for some hypothetical infraction, and if people really did want to store something that's not water in their bottles, they probably would be desperate and crazy enough not to follow the no-water rules. I know it's good to be prepared, but there's a point where foresight crosses the line into the land of paranoia.

I liked the film, but I'm not sure I trust Michael Moore. I don't know if I want to see Fahrenheit 9/11, for example. It may have some insights, but it is pretty much liberal propaganda. I can't help feeling sorry for the innocent people Moore interviews and then trashes, either. If he's such a crusader for social justice, he could be a little nicer to individuals.