A eighteen-year-old in Kentucky has been jailed for writing a story about a [high-school over-run by zombies](http://www.lex18.com/global/story.asp?s=2989614&ClientType=Printable). Says he,

It’s a fake story. I made it up. I’ve been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran [sic] by zombies … It didn’t mention nobody who lives in Clark County, didn’t mention [George Rogers Clark High School], didn’t mention no principal or cops, nothing. Half the people at high school know me. They know I’m not that stupid, that crazy.

Obviously, I’m not informed enough to make a proper judgement, since I’m missing a key piece of evidence here — the story itself. Nevertheless, taking this all at face value, there’s a couple important things to consider.

###It Was An Act Of _Creativity_

It would have perfectly valid, under this jurisdiction, for him to consume zombie-themed entertainment in the form of [movies](http://imdb.com/find?q=zombie;more=tt). or [video games](http://www.capcom.com/ResidentEvil/), neither of which are as intellectually stimulating as writing a short story.

With the political power that the gaming and movie industries represent, these things will never disappear. And neither should they; that’s a basic free-speech/free-expression issue. But to attack some kid over it seems rather low.

###He Seems Pretty _Normal_

Perhaps the story was hideous. Maybe it was shocking to the point of being grotesque, with a complete absence of redeeming moral qualities. After all, his grandparents turned it in to the authorities. But were these shocking things that ended up in the story really part of a psychopathic nature that was leading to the next Columbine? What if he just gleaned them from the aforementioned movies and games?

###Teenages Do And Say _Dumb Things_

And I’ll be the first to step up and admit it. It sounds like he didn’t even intend these writings to have ever left his journal. Having a private journal is helpful, because later on it can be a humbling influence. (“Wow, I felt so _justified_ then, just like now. But it turned out then that I was just being a petulant child.”)

But even if he did intend to publish the story, and assuming it _was_ somehow improper to the point that it needed additional correction, I’m not sure jailing him is the correct way to deal with it. Yeah, maybe they could get a shrink or whatever to check him over, if they’re really worried, but the thought of being jailed for mere words on paper is a scary thought. Especially when you’re just eighteen.

###I Can Only Partly Empathise…

… Because I don’t really _get_ the whole zombie _thing_, nor really the larger genre of _horror_. It’s just not something that I enjoy as entertainment. But if Mr. Poole is using it as material to flex the creative muscle, that’s something to be praised, not arrested over.

Mike

← Earlier Later → Posted at 10:24 pm to Writing.