I was reading my phone during the advertisements in Memphis theater July 4th when I heard the catchy line, “Chill, Don’t Kill.” Could it be? Really? Now we need ads cajoling us not to murder one another? I turned to my wife and she confirmed it. Yes, we had just seen an advertisement asking the people of Memphis not to kill one another. I missed the start of this work of art yesterday.
Brace yourself. It’s on YouTube:
What a message to see on Independence Day. Should we celebrate America’s birth or ease it into oblivion? Does this band-aid have a chance?
I’m too familiar with a large number of attempted murders in one major American city, St. Louis, because I see the surviving patients that result. I treat their spinal cord injuries, brain injuries and polytraumas for several weeks, learning way more than I want to about the circumstances of their beatings and shootings. The stories are pointless and mind-numbing. There is no rationale or justification for the brutality. But can we replace innate morality with catch phrases like “Chill, Don’t Kill?” If so, media is this atheist’s new religion. But I fear it’s an apocalyptic one.
Now remember boys and girls: Don’t bust a cap. Take a nap.
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