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CLEAR Temp: 65 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Friday, July 4, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 4, 2003 Forum initiates dialogue on reel violence to real life By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Pointing to an array of social ills, especially media violence feeding fears of people unlike oneself, an overflow crowd of 250 hammered out strategies Friday night and formed networks for action. The gathering was called in response to the Michael Moore documentary film "Bowling for Columbine," which portrays a gun-happy American culture driven by fear, inured to violence from every direction and doping itself to numbness with consumerism. The theme of the "Community Conversation" was learning to listen to each other and the crowd couldn’t wait to talk. The Rev. Michael Powell of First Methodist Church, site of the forum, passed the microphone. "The basic message is fear," said Jan Janssen, youth diversion officer for the Ashland Police Department. "I worry about how we fear the kids in this town. I’ve seen adults cross the street when they see kids coming with piercings, colored hair or baggy pants. It’s up to you to take the first step and be a friend." Ashland High School student Kristen Pew, 15, said teens were tired of adults talking about what needed to be taken away, such as music, movies or clothing. "What can you give us — that’s the issue. Eliminating piercings and dyed hair won’t solve the problem," she said. "We need to communicate and adults need to start doing their job, first by locking up every gun in the house." Bunny Willis, a nurse who works with children, said many tell her they have access to guns in friends’ homes and have carried guns to protect themselves at school. "Parents need to sit down and really listen to us without judging," said teenager Emmett Craftsman. "There’s a big generation gap, and if parents learn to listen there would be a lot less fear of kids with dyed hair." Many participants faulted the incessant diet of violence in news, magazines and television. Attorney Joe Charter of Medford said "buying into fear is an addiction and I’ve bought into it. I overcome it by not subscribing to newspapers or watching CNN when wars come and make their ratings go up." Ashland Mayor Alan DeBoer said "the media is so negative and it’s really hard for young people to grow up surrounded by it. "The media says 20 percent of high school students drink, but what about the 80 percent who don’t? Instead of listening to this, it would be better if we went to an old folks home and help." Wes Brain criticized "Code Yellow" headlines in local papers and stories about possible terrorism around 9/11 as examples of "a drum roll of fear in media." Brain and several others cited "hate radio" as a big source of fear and division in our society and urged participants to boycott sponsors — even naming local sponsors. The crowd applauded agreement to the boycott idea. Rev. Paul Robinson of Medford Congregational Church took the media to task for failing to be skeptical and probing of lies and misconduct in high as well as ordinary places, leading to a cynical populace. "People don’t believe their fears will be aired by the media but will be glossed over by (professional pundits)," he said. While the Moore film, which is playing at Ashland’s Varsity theater, said the climate of fear — not guns — was the real problem, many forum participants faulted personal arsenals in our culture. "We have a tradition that good guys are violent and put things right with violence, and that’s fed to us for generations," said Ken Devony. "What we need is to learn to listen — listen to our children, not when they’re teens, but when they’re small and are trying to tell us something by the games they play." Kayla Starr said a culture of helplessness and disconnectedness is propagated by a federal government that models violence in its many wars. Panelists — who included Jefferson Public Radio talk show host Jeff Golden and Rabbi David Zaslow of Havurah Shir Hadash — said violence operates in many subtle ways, including the portrayal of conservative personalities in the movie as "fools." "It was inexcusable violence to edit the film to portray (National Rifle Association president) Charlton Heston, who has Alzheimer’s, as a fool," said Zaslow. "It was intellectual violence against those who disagree with him." Participants offered to meet immediately in small groups to plan action strategies — including creating peace groups for children and young adults; helping with counter-military recruiting in schools (alternatives to military service); compassionate listening training; and signing an e-mail list for future forums on resolving fear, alienation and violence in society. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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