Batman vs. Joker / Character vs. Choice

Batman vs. Joker / Character vs. Choice

            When you think of Batman he is a fictional superhero who is moral, ethical, honest, courage’s and has integrity, these words are used in the English dictionary to describe character. When you look into the lives of a comic book villain like the Joker (who is also fictional) you see that the words used to describe character do not apply.  Character is built upon choices that we make in everyday life. 

            I put these words together (character & choice) because I feel we have lost touch with the importance of their meaning.  To have character some may say you give up your freedom of choice.  We can abuse our choices taking it to a level where we no longer take responsibility for our own actions.  By not taking responsibility we are like a cat on a fence, balancing trying not to fall but unlike the feline we do not have tails to twist our bodies and land softly. When we fall we break and when we break we leave a mess.  Much like the mess that was left at the midnight showing of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, in Aurora, Colorado.   

            There where choices made that night some had been in the making for months others in a split second.  I want to take this moment and reflect on choice and how we all have this opportunity to build good character.   Some may say the Dark Knight shooter (I choose not to use his name) has a mental illness and has no choice.  I say that’s a coward’s excuse.  I have friends with mental illness and they do not murder.  They take care of themselves and seek professional help. They are brave.  Others say we must change gun laws, I know plenty of people who own guns and they do not murder.  What has happened to accountability? 

            Choices were made months earlier when the shooter allowed himself to go down a dark path.  Maybe the shooter was trying to understand himself by entering the field of neuroscience.  We may never know.  But he did have a choice.  When things become blurred one must seek help.  There is no shame in that.

            In the darken theater when the excitement of the fictional movie turned to a bloody horror of reality, men and woman of good character shined a bright beacon in what is a dark moment in history.  Four men shielded their girlfriends and in doing so lost their own lives.  They made the choice long before that night that helped mold their character for that moment. Who says chivalry is dead their example shows us it is alive and well. 

            There were strangers trying to drag victims to safety only to find out it was too late.  Hugs given and hand holding to people with bloody clothing letting a stranger know you are not alone.  This was a community of people who enjoy the legacy of the fictional heroic figure of Batman.  It took only one person who chose to follow the fictional lead of a comic book villain that has changed us all, but it was the community of Batman lovers that showed us they are the superheroes that there is still good in this world.  I honor them and at this time take a moment for the many heroes in theater number 9 and say thank you, thank you for giving us faith in humanity.  Thank you for showing us that in a couple of minutes of one man’s evil choice there were many people who showed strength and character.

            I choose at this time to list those who lost their lives in the Batman Massacre, we must pray for their families and for the survivors and even for the Dark Knight shooter’s family who are victims too.  We all need to heal as a family of mankind.

             

Jessica Ghawi                               Jesse Childress     

         In their memory ask yourself which one am I, villain or superhero? I hope you said the latter.  Go out into the world and make good choices today, build good character … we need more superheroes in a world full of villains.