A hail of bullets and a red V

It's a sad fact of life in America in 2010 that shootings are commonplace, even shootings at high profile locations. Such was the case yesterday as an angry, disturbed individual took out his frustrations on school board members and administrators in Florida.

By now many will have seen the video footage, moved by the heroism demonstrated by those that tried to reason with a gunman that defied logic. But there was another moment of the footage that stood out to me. Prior to shots being fired, the gunman grabbed a can of red spray paint and plastered a V surrounded by a circle on the wall. The symbol was made famous by the graphic novel and film "V for Vendetta," a piece I covered during my Faith in Film class this summer.

When the film was released in 2005, I was appalled by the content of the message the film offered regarding the appropriate response to a government that doesn't please you. At that time I wrote, "The film’s ‘hero’ isn’t motivated by anything admirable, he’s simply seeking revenge against the leaders who’ve wronged him. He seeks vengeance through murder and acts of terrorism then tries to rally the disenfranchised citizens of his country to support him. V is not Nelson Mandela and he’s not Patrick Henry or George Washington. He’s not advocating a change of government, he’s advocating the destruction of the government. Given the times we live in, I think that’s a dangerous and counterproductive message to be sending, let alone glorifying, on film.”

Many were critical of that harsh review, saying it was only fiction. While I acknowledge that movies don't kill people, rather people kill people, the ideas spread through popular media provide the spark, inspiration, and justification for a host of actions. Obviously, disturbed as he was, the man that terrorized the board members in Florida found some connection to the plot of that film, enough so that he replicated the symbol on the wall in the board room.

The longer the economic conditions in this country wage war on the poor and middle class, and the longer it appears our government leaders are locked in pointless, unending gridlock, the more the confusion and despair of those who are oppressed turns to anger. That is what we saw in Florida yesterday. Though we can't solve everyone's problems or ease their burdens, as Christians we can point them toward the one who can.

The Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:17, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

More than ever, in these uncertain times we need to show people where their hope comes from. It does not come from this world, but rather from the one who has dominion over all.