"It's true there is a lot of violence in the beginning of the show and sometimes the use of fake guns - but they are used as metaphors. I do not condone violence or the use of guns. Rather they are symbols of wanting to appear strong and wanting to find a way to stop feelings that I find hurtful or damaging. In my case its wanting to stop the lies and hypocrisy of the church, the intolerance of many narrow minded cultures and societies I have experienced throughout my life and in some cases the pain I have felt from having my heart broken".
Gun violence is (unfortunately) not a new problem. However, the topic is quite timely due to increased U.S. media coverage following several mass shootings in the past few weeks- Aurora, CO, Oak Creek, WI, and New York, NY. The issue of gun violence has reached crisis levels in Philadelphia where Madonna will be performing. A new open source journalism project called http://guncrisis.org/ "contends that there is an epidemic of homicide by gunfire in Philadelphia and similar cities". They are seeking solutions.
The solutions being sought by GunCrisis: Philadelphia and others involve taking a public health approach to gun violence. The recent high profile shootings have produced several well-written pieces about gun violence and what we need to do next:
- Prompt policy discussions about easy access to ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and assault weapons.
- Use our public health skills to conduct further research into the causes of firearm injuries.
- Examine gun violence as a social disease- one that stems from a society "saturated with guns".
Do you believe that the gun "saturation" goes beyond those in our homes to include those used for entertainment? E.g., Guns in movies or video games; Madonna's concert props
Is Madonna successful? Does using guns as a metaphorical image help her reach her goals and battle against hypocrisy and intolerance?
In addition to those listed above, what other strategies should we incorporate into a public health approach against gun violence? Adoption, Aging, AIDS, Cancer, Child Care, Cosmetics, Depression, Diabetes, Disabilities, Domestic Violence, Environmental Health, Food Labeling, Health Promotion, HIV, Medicare, Nutrition, Patient Education
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