Marcus Brown
[email protected]
Fairy tales are a rare place in which lessons of humanity and morality are intertwined with whimsical fantasy in order to provide children with a certain life lesson or knowledge of the world. In these stories, we show children what the world isn’t in order for them to see what is.
Regardless of how innocent or grim the story may be the fairy tale has always’ been a sacred place for me. However, the NRA has taken it upon itself to trespass on these hallowed grounds in order to push a pro-gun agenda by using a vessel intended for children.
On the NRA Family website, a retelling of the classic children’s tale “Red Riding Hood” was published with the addition of firearms and a less-than-subtle message. I suppose it is fitting to use one fairy tale to further another, but by doing so, the authenticity of both tales is undermined. Fairy tales are effective because of their absurdity. We do not fear the anthropomorphic Big Bad Wolf because in our hearts we know he is merely fantasy created to bestow us with a teaching moment. However, once we begin to embed the realities of gun policy into the fantasy, the magic is lost.
Heavy-handed lines such as “He realized that Grandmother hadn’t been backing away from him, she had been moving toward her shotgun to protect herself and her home” transform a cherished fairy tale into propaganda. Propaganda is in itself a form of fairy tale in which reality is skewed to further a chosen agenda, and this holds true for the NRA’s revamped Red Riding Hood. There is no discussion of background checks, mental illness, open-carry laws, etc. Instead we are simply told that possessing a gun will solve all of life’s problems and ensure safety in an uncertain world. The danger lies in not realizing that the door into fantasy works both ways. Just as reality has tainted the sanctity of the fairy tale, the fairy tale of the all-powerful firearm has tainted our reality.
On CBS’ “Face the Nation,” presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio spoke about his motivation for purchasing a firearm, contending that the firearm would be “the last line of defense between ISIS and my family.” Perpetuating the narrative of the omnipotent firearm that will alleviate all fear does nothing to address the realities of global terrorism and mass domestic shootings. If anything, trying to turn fairy tales into reality will detract from our ability to take realistic look at the issues that plague our society and encourage us to place our faith in delusions.
When Rubio discussed the fear that motivated his rationale, he stated that “Millions of Americans feel that way,” and this is probably not far from the truth. However, there is a difference between fairy tales and reality. In fairy tales, there are quick fixes and happy endings, but the reality of this country’s plight will not be solved by going out and buying a gun. There is more to fear than the Big Bad Wolf, and attempting to treat issues that have festered in the foundation of society for years with the mentality of a children’s tale is neither realistic nor viable.
