Senators to Hollywood: Less violence in movies

MAVOCKE--A bipartisan group of senators is calling on Hollywood to lessen the amount of hard-hitting violence in films.

In a letter to Chris Dodd, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, six senators--three Nationalists and three Conservatives--called on the major film production companies to decrease the use of graphic violence and gore in films.

The letter was penned in light of recent mass shootings in the US and across the world.

The Grassadellian senators claim violence in the media is a significant cause of violence in the real world.

"We are calling on the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and the MPAA's international counterparts, to advocate for and foster the use of less violence in future films, as we believe violence in movies and other media is a main factor in gun violence and terrorism," the letter read.

The six senators who authored the letter included Carol DelLorean (N-Ansleigha), John Warner-Patterson (N-Wilkonshire), Portia McLendon (N-E. Deschire), Cathy De Beers (C-Monomi), Shannon McCann (C-Kalnier) and Robert Maclan (C-Armana).

Earlier this week, Dodd told American media his organization would discuss voluntary measures to help curb gun violence, but would "vehemently" oppose mandatory restrictions imposed by the government.

"We want to explore what we can do to provide parents and others with the information for them to make choices on what they want to see and what they want their children to see,” Dodd said. “That's a legitimate space for us to be in. It's all voluntary. What we don't want to get involved with is content regulation. We're vehemently opposed to that. We have a free and open society that celebrates the First Amendment."

But in a joint interview on the GBC, Sens. Carol DelLorean and Shannon McCann told host Peter Guthrie that the industry must work to stem violence in media.

"There are many causes of gun violence, but one of the main contributors to this sharp increase in violence can be attributed to the media. We have all these movies with guns and horrific gory scenes, and you've got teenagers and even children under the age of 13 attending these movies in the cinemas and watching them on TV at home. What kind of message is that sending our kids? That violence is not only a reasonable option, but it is popular. It's idolized in our media. This is unacceptable," DelLorean said.

McCann voiced her concern about impressionable minds watching violence in the media.

"It's tough for adults to watch the kind of violence that comes out of Hollywood. And then you've got young people, that are very impressionable, watching this stuff, filling their minds with this kind of gore and graphic images. And there are a lot of troubled kids out there that watch these sorts of movies, and that violence can trigger violence in their own world," McCann said.

The letter from the six senators to the MPAA also asked for representatives from the group, including chairman Dodd, to come to Grassadellia and testify before the Senate.

"We would very much appreciate to hear your point of view in Senate hearings, as we feel your organization is an important voice in the discussion over gun violence and the media," the letter said.

The Motion Picture Association of America has yet to respond to the letter.