“…as someone who writes about movies, and who cares about the big, flawed thing we call fandom, I’m saddened by someone turning that shared enthusiasm into a weapon. And even if this tragedy hadn’t happened at the premiere of one of a dwindling number of genuinely mass cultural events, I hate the idea of using an audience’s suspension of disbelief, their openness to and absorption in the spectacle unfolding before them, as cover—the gunman reportedly started shooting during a sequence involving gunfire, meaning the audience was slower to react. We are vulnerable when we go to the movies, open to fear, and love, and disgust, and rapture, surrendering our brains and hearts to someone else’s vision of the world. We don’t expect to surrender our bodies, too.” – Alyssa Rosenberg

I have a lot of thoughts and emotions regarding the shooting in Aurora, Colo., mostly concern for the families and community, but events such as this also spur national conversations regarding the larger context. While I think the most important issues include helping survivors (in whatever way that may be) and once again opening a dialogue (and hopefully action) on how to prevent these mass killings in America, I found this article by Alyssa Rosenberg insightful and in keeping with my own thoughts.