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In Reply to: Links between violence and television posted by Thinker on April 25, 2003 at 17:40:01:
Of course, it's a very big question and the picture is much bigger than what we try to simplify it as. I see a lot of the problem as a moral decline. This is why Hollywood is getting away with watering down the ratings. Remember how there was a push by some conservatives to help parents block programs and create stricter censorship and the Hollywood lobbyists came out with both guns blazing (speaking figuratively of course) and nothing happened and our children are open to seeing just about anything and everything on TV. In fact, it's a known fact that producers try hard to get their movies rated as R because they know their top audience of young teenagers will not go see it if it doesn't have an R rating, thusly we see a lot of cussing, a lot of sex scenes and a lot of violence to ensure they have their precious R rating.
It really makes one not want to have a TV, but then your neighbors and relatives have it, so how can you prevent it from being seen? I wouldn't say that guns per se are the problem, though you are right, it's easier to kill with a gun, but people will kill whether it's with a gun, a knife, or poison. You can kill a lot of people with poison. That's why we have safety caps on all our meds now because some looney person was putting poison in aspirin bottles. That's why I see a lot of the problem also is in our moral decay and anything goes permissiveness that is eating away at people being responsible, parents being dedicated to their children, their families, etc. I do blame a lot on what is being portrayed in TV, the movies, music, etc. But really, what it comes down to is families. When you have destructive, dysfunctional families having children, then the children will be an offshoot of that problem and the cycle continues until it is as widespread as it is today. My children watch TV and all the looney movies there are, but they are deep-thinking, sensible individuals that wouldn't hurt a fly. I credit that partly to a close, loving family. They've learned responsibility and to be responsible for their actions. We have guns, but they are properly cared for and not in a place easily accessible. I have a hard time with gun control because I know personally that my own people lost their land because they were not allowed to carry guns while their oppressors were. I just have a real problem with gun control because of that. I worry that some elements would like to take the power away from the ordinary citizen. So, you see, there are many elements to consider.
