Sunday 22 July 2012

Calling All Heroes!

I wasn't made aware of this until several days ago, but recently the topic of the shootings during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises - the eagerly anticipated new Batman film - in Colorado came up in conversation between me and a friend again.


I was really, honestly saddened by this, as I am by all these stories. I was very nearly sick to my stomach when the news about Anders Behring Brevik's deranged actions in Norway broke out all those months ago, so another story like this just made me want to curl up under the table and mope for months. I will never understand people like this. And I don't ever want to.

As the names of the victims are finally announced, and as I read through articles like this one, I just wonder how any good can come of something as awful as this. I think of the families, I think of the 50-something others who were injured in the cinema during the shootings. And I wish there was something we could do.

Guess what. There is.

It's not often I break my posting rule and allow myself to post on Sundays. But this is really, really important. And it can't wait.


Facebook may be a collosal pain in the backside at times, but my-oh-my do its denizens have some very good ideas:




There is currently a spree of status updates across Pages and profiles urging people to get the attention of current Batman actor, Christian Bale.

Why? Because, in honour of their love for the character he plays, the originators want him to come and visit the injured in Aurora. 

As Batman.

The message urges us to get this message as public and as far-ranging as we can. People have already taken to Twitter and Reddit, but we're going to need every bit of support we can get to really make this happen.

Because these people need a hero now. A real hero.


I don't know about you lot, but I'm going to get my butt in gear and support the motion as best I can. Although I'm a long way behind the actual news, this blog post is my first step in that direction. After that, I'm going to put something up on my Facebook page, and go hunting for places where the effort is still rolling - which I desperately hope it wil continue to do.

And I'm really hoping you guys will join me.

My Tumblr blog has a meagre number of followers, my YouTube channel even less, but here on this blog I know I have a goodly number of all of you watching me. And I know some of you have accounts in some of these places that have a better following than I do. So I reckon this is my best chance.

Let's prove to the world that heroes are still real. Let's give the victims something to smile about.

Let's make some noise.

~Charley R

EDIT: This just in from the lovely Cait - Christian Bale has indeed been to Aurora, visiting memorials and victims in hospital! Whether or not this internet campaign had anything to do with it, IS THIS NOT AWESOME? Hooray for nice people, for they are true heroes :D

13 comments:

  1. I suppose Christian Bale could provide some healing in a symbolic way. So I'll definitely share and tweet this.

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  2. You know, I rethought this and realize that because the movie is losing lots of money because of the tragedy, they might be accused of a publicity stunt and exploiting the tragedy. They need to tread very carefully.

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    1. I liked the post/picture on FB a yesterday when I found it-- but yeah, you're right. Definitely handle with care.

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    2. I concur - didn't think of that . . . so naive :P
      I was just thinking it would be a good thing to do - you know, prove to those people that people do care about what happened. Because all too often things like this are just forgotten about.

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    3. Hm... I sthere another superhero they could pull out of the wings to go in Batman's stead, or would that not ork. *sigh*

      As Charley said before - this world is too suspicious these days. *sigh*

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    4. *idea*
      Get LOADS of superheroes to go! Bale can just creep in among them! GENIUS!

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  3. Go Charley R!! Amazing post. I feel sick everytime I hear this story, but it's reality, eh. And if the minority can shout out what they want and get heard, I say, do it!

    I do agree with Anne R. Allen, above, tho. It could so easily be a publicity stunt and Christian Bale could get slammed for it. But, as they say, "If you do it you're in trouble, if you don't, you're still in trouble." Someone's always going to disagree with your actions.

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    1. They will have the wrath of the internet - well, my corner of it anyway - down on their heads if they do. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO SOMETHING NICE FOR PEOPLE! Jeesh. The world is far too suspicious nowadays.

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    2. Yeah, I agree. What happened to always thinking the best of people?? But I like the loads of super heroes idea. They couldn't be accused of a publicity stunt then, could they? (Oh, well, probably...but people are, like you said, TOO supsicious.)

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    3. Not if most were local people just dressed up for fun - then you'd never notice the celeb unless you were looking for him. Makes it more subtle, and he wouldn't have to announce he was going. He could just turn up and make people's days :)

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    4. (I couldn't resist coming back and leaving another comment!!) But...watching the news today, I saw Christian Bale doing just that! Visiting hospitals and seeing people. :) How completely awesome. Yay for heroes!

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    5. YES! That is so totally wicked! May not have been in the Batman suit, but hey, close enough. HOORAY FOR NICE PEOPLE, FOR THEY ARE HEROES :D

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  4. Well, you were right and I was totally wrong, wasn't I? Yay for Christian Bale! And the movie is making tons of money. Sometimes I am way too pessimistic about human nature. Glad you were right on this!

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