Black Mass Should Pay

"Black Mass" opens Friday with a special screening at Flagship Cinema featuring a pre-movie talk by radio talk show star, Howie Carr. If anyone knows the evil that was spread by sociopath "Whitey" Bulger, it's Howie. After all, this infamous criminal's henchmen tried to take Howie out at his suburban Boston home! And then there's all the families who lost loved ones to the evil of Whitey, who had no remorse. What about the pain and suffering of all the victims and their relations and friends? In a recent Boston Globe article, Ty Burr brought out the fact that our culture rewards infamy.

It isn't new. We are used to seeing a murderer morph into a folk hero. Hollywood builds up lawbreakers until they become legendary and the evil they perpetuated gets mixed in with a big-time actor's make up. The real pain and anguish he inflicted gets diluted while the gangster's persona is strengthened. We must not forget the enormous painfulness and hurt brought on by this bastard. So, with the victims' families in mind, I believe some of the profits from Black Mass should go to the loved ones of the people Whitey Bulger had a hand in killing. At least this way, Hollywood can soften the profiteering and glorifying of those who wish to destroy us and cast them as evil doers intent on destroying us.