I'm Going to the Movies. Unprotected.

 I'm writing this drunk and on-the-fly, which is sometimes when I do my best work and often when I break off halfway through to take a piss in the kitchen sink, so I have no idea where this is going to end up.
 Nonetheless, I'd like to address (in my very, very limited capacity) the Colorado shooting that happened earlier today at a Batman screening.
 For the three people in the world who aren't aware, some pitiful, dickless loser snapped and launched a Columbine-style attack on a screening of the new Batman movie. He killed fourteen people.
 Although I'm obviously depressed and upset that this sort of thing can happen, and feel awful for the victims and their families, what's really bothering me right now is the response.
 In the (nearly) 24 hours since the shooting, the following things have happened:

 * Police have been stationed at screenings of the film in New York.

 * Advertising for the movie has been pulled.

 * The wearing of costumes has been banned at screenings of the movie in AMC theatres in the states.

 * Director Christopher Nolan has spoken out expressing "profound sorrow" on behalf of everyone involved in making the film.

 To recap: A lone, crazed sociopath has wreaked havoc on an innocent populace, and draconian measures have been used erroneously in response.
 Excuse me for being pedantic, but wasn't that the exact plot of the previous Batman movie?!
 Seriously. Last time around, the Batman franchise spent 152 minutes explaining how we should not stoop to the level of violent, soulless anarchists when presented with their threats.
 Let's gain some perspective: Someone who is deeply fucked up (kinda like the Joker) committed a mass killing (kinda like the Joker) at a Batman movie.
 The previous film went to great, great pains to show how invasion of civil liberties, police-state tactics and mass panic are not the way to respond to arbitrary violence perpetrated by the mentally ill.
 So what happens when life imitates art?! They post armed police in movie theatres.
 I do NOT, incidentally, wish to compare the asshole in Colorado with the Joker. That's already frustratingly prevalent in the press, with one source mentioning that the perpetrator had "dyed red hair like the Joker." Whichever reactionary hack came up with that one was apparently unfamilliar with one of the most iconic fictional characters of our time, but for once around here, that's by-the-by.
 Here's what happened: A mentally ill and cowardly loner committed a terrible crime. Everyone responded by reacting in a way that elevated that crime to something it wasn't.
 It enrages and depresses me in equal measure.
 What should have happened is this: We - as human beings - should feel angry and sad about what happened. The people of Colorado - if not the world - should mourn the dead. The perpetrator should be punished as harshly as possible.
 That's it.
 We shouldn't be behaving as though the actions of one lone crazy person should dictate the movie going habits of the masses. We shouldn't acknowledge that what he did had any effect on the wider world outside of the poor bastards who were shot, and their families and friends.
 This guy isn't the Joker. He's just some sad shut-in who snapped. To treat him like his crimes had larger meaning is to glorify a desperate, petty and senseless act.
 Let's all wear costumes to the movies. Let's all see this film unafraid.
 Because whoever this guy was or is? Reacting to him is what he wants.
 Let's just remember him as some sad, lonely, crazy asshole. Acknowledging him as anything else just gives other sad lonely assholes fuel.
 In the real world - which, let's remember, is where this took place - crazy mass-murderers aren't going to orchestrate extremely complex schemes. We don't have to pick which boat gets blown up in Gotham harbour.
 Even September 11th was a relatively small-scale deal. It only required enough people to hijack three planes.
 I'm hammering the point, but as The Dark Knight already explained, it's not right to react with draconian measures when faced with arbitrary threats. By dictating how people can dress when seeing a comic book movie, or by having the viewers overseen by armed guards, we're essentially hacking the phone network of Gotham.
 Jesus, I hate that this metaphor is so easy.
 My basic point - and the point of the last Batman movie - is this: We should not live in fear of the crazy, murderous outcasts. Because if we do, then they've already won.
 Let's be sad for the victims, light a candle, and go and see a movie in freedom.