Truth on Lockdown

Movies have desensitized us to violence, we watch people’s guts and blood gushing out of their bodies almost everyday on TV and don’t even see anything wrong with that. If anything we want more vivid images of brutality and violence. How else could we justify the plethora of these images on our screens? Video games are even more disturbing because they invite you to participate in the violence and they just get gorier and gorier with no end in sight. But the common most distressing thread is that most of the time the consequences of those actions are not shown. The perpetrators usually get away with it or in most cases they are shown in a positive light and viewers identify with murderers and killers.

I strongly believe that this approach to entertainment has effected people’s perceptions of and tendencies toward violence. But has this recent trend affected our judicial system too? Have we scared the system out of its wits that now for fear of things “getting out of control” it’s willing to punish anyone for anything? Did you know that in some states you could get arrested for wearing your pants too low?! The reasoning for this is that it might be a gateway style to a life of crime!! And how many stories have you read of people paying for crimes they didn’t commit. Too many, in my opinion. The problem is that anyone could fall victim to this circumstance (statistically more so if you’re black). Imagine the things you would go through if you are thrown in jail for one day for something you didn’t do. What about a whole month? What about 16 years? What about 16 years on death row? Waiting to get murdered for a crime you didn’t commit, would you survive?

Troy Anthony Davis, has not only survived but has inspired our whole class. This man’s life is of importance to us all, and I hope that movies haven’t desensitized us to the point where we could walk away from such an outrageous case. The systems haste to hold someone accountable for the murder of Officer Mark MacPhail did not heed with the absence of evidence or the recantation of witnesses. A new trial is the only way to set things straight. Until we recognize the major flaws in the judicial system one too many will fall victim to it. Until we properly examine this case the real killer maybe on the loose and the truth remains on Lockdown.

Jamila