Thoughts behind the artwork...

Catechism of Desensitization. Graphic violence on the television screen has become so commonplace that many people do not even recognize that it is something they need to shield their children from. It is a constant stream of death and violence that has grown more and more predominant here in the United States over the past two decades. It brings about a state of almost absolute de-sensitivity. At the heart of the issue is that of the psychological impact on the children regularly subjected to violent imagery. With so many adults oblivious to the issue, combined with more than an entire generation of children subjected to this Catechism of Desensitization, it is small wonder that this country has become so violent and uncaring.

-John Alexander (aka SirJohn)

2-1-2025

Recently, I witnessed something that directly mirrors the point and purpose of this image. One morning I stopped into a coffee shop to grab myself a high octane kick in the pants. A young boy, the son of one of the ladies working at the coffee shop, was sitting at the table closest to the counter where I was ordering my cup o' joe. He was quietly watching something on a cellphone. Looking over his shoulder I asked:

"Whatcha watchin little dude?"

"Oh, he's watching Deadpool" his mother replies from somewhere behind me.

"Pool" the boy says.

This boy is four years old. Some may be wondering, WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Hm, well... have you SEEN Deadpool? Sure, it's filled with hilarious wise cracks from Ryan Reynolds. But it is also filled with extremely graphic violence. Not the kind of violence where a coyote has a boulder dropped on him while trying to trap a road runner... or Daffy Duck getting his bill shot onto the back of his head from Elmer Fudd. Nope, we are talking about very graphic scenes of bloody violence in the form of torture, mutilation, decapitations and more. Mom thought it was no big deal. Hey, he was quiet and minding his own business... at least he wasn't in her hair while she worked.

Sadly, this sickness is everywhere.