Dispatch #42: Playing with Guns

Scene from The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials

by Lupe Fernandez

At a local theater, I saw The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials. The film was action packed and well-performed. SPOILER ALERT: The film ends with the young protagonists surviving a raid on their encampment and determined to get revenge on the fiendish antagonists. One of the last images is of teenagers armed with rifles ready to fight.

As I walked out of the theater, I thought if the film - same script, same characters - was cast with all black actors, I don't think this film would have been made. If this film with a black cast had been made, I think some people would run from the theater and lock themselves in their houses. TV Talking Heads on the propaganda channels would criticize the film for promoting violence and demand congressional and judicial action.

The militarization of dystopian stories disturbs me.

What happened to non-violence civil disobedience?

In respect to the movie Scorch Trials, if the protagonists laid down their arms, they'd be captured and subjected to a heinous fate. So that's going to work in this story.

I'm not espousing Oh My God Stories of Dystopian Young Adults Toting Guns are Ruining the Moral Fiber of Today's Youth.

Not to worry. In my generation, yesterday's moral values were destroyed by Disco and Pinball Machines.

Civil Right March

As previously stated, I found the film exciting to watch. I appreciate cinematic gun fights with Colt M4 Carbines LE6920 Magpul MOE FDE .223/5.56 NATO 16-inch 30Rd and explosions as well as the next movie-goer.

Maybe I haven't read enough YA dystopian novels were change is achieved through non-violence. If so, please let me know.

What do I intend to do?

Funny, you should ask. I have a YA dystopian manuscript - the antagonists have weapons - and I'm going to make the protagonist create change using good old-fashion non-violent civil-disobedience.

I'll let you know if it works.