Last night I saw the movie Logan. It’s already grossed over $300 million worldwide since its release. It’s about a mutant character (Wolverine) with retractable steel claws that tear adversaries to pieces. It is laced with profanity and violence and is rated R.

The most disturbing thing about it is the mutant’s daughter and co-star, a 12-year-old child actor, with her own viciousness and her own steel claws. She and her dad are pursued by similar type adversaries. They slash and dismember countless bodies as they power through the story. The only pause is for dad to self inject himself in the neck with necessary life prolonging medicine. By the way the child is present in all gory scenes and all profane language.,I left the theatre shaken.

This morning, less than 24 hours later, I was invited to watch the finals of the All Island MV Spelling Bee at the high school. Students, all winners, up to the 7th grade, competed for the right to move on to Washington DC.

So, here we had six delightful, nervous students all having crammed all week, wanting to bring honor to their family and schools. They were polite, well mannered children waiting their turn to be questioned by the moderator. The hall was practically filled.

Where’s the message?

None of these students had steel hooks for hands. None of these students caused blood to spurt and, there wasn’t one profane word spoken. Quite to the contrary. They were the same age as the demonic 12-year-old in the movie. One child celebrates his vocabulary and shares the joy of accomplishment, while the other titillates.

I’ve never seen our culture conflict so starkly played out.

Richard Berkley
Edgartown