Should we clean up America’s culture?

Question

We must clean up America’s culture, beginning in every home. A new callousness can be seen on our television sets and movie theaters, in video games and on magazine racks. While parents remain the first line of defense in the fight to protect our children from inappropriate media content, some of the responsibility for this effort also rests with the producers and distributors of modern media. With this in mind, I introduced the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2006 and was pleased to see the President sign it into law. The Act increased fines on broadcast networks that air obscene and indecent material during the hours children are most likely to be watching. Shielding our children from the violence, obscenity, and indecency in today’s media continues to be one of my top priorities. I have also introduced a bill that would promote greater accuracy and transparency in the rating of video games.

Answer 1

Yes, America's culture needs to be cleaned up. While parents are, as you say, the first line of defense, we have to be mindful of the thousands and thousands of children who have little or no parental influence, particularly between the hours that school lets out and parents get home. Sadly, many children have a parent that must work more than one job; and, even more sadly, some have parents who have so little interest in their children that they don't bother to come home ~ these, the children who raise themselves. Who is there to moderate what these children watch on television?

The callousness that you mention is not seen only in media venues; it is clearly seen in the attitudes and actions of our young people: physical violence against one another, the lack of morals, the lack of respect for anyone or anything, their issues of entitlement, killing one another over something as insignificant as a pair of tennis shoes and their *lack* of horror toward that which is horrific. The change in America's youth from even just 35 years ago is staggering.

Cleaning up movies, television programming, radio programming, video games and magazines is something that can, to an extent, be done. But until we have parents who take an interest, and an active role, in the proper rearing of their child(ren) ~ including that to which they are exposed, who make the time to take the time with their children, and who teach their children the value of a dollar and the ethics of hard work rather than handing them a credit card and sending them to the mall, we are not likely to get far.

Do you want to end deliquency in America? Do you want to clean up our culture? Then impose more fines and punishments upon parents who fail to properly raise their children. Seriously. If the school cannot discipline a child anymore, then impose a monetary fine upon the parent for bad behaviors, even beyond the child destroying property. Does the kid have a toilet mouth and used it against the teacher? Fine the parent. Let these fines be paid to the individual school and used to purchase materials and/or equipment the school needs.

Juvenile delinquency? I think that would be easily solved. We have those ankle cuffs that keep people imprisoned at home, right? Modify them so that the parent wears one and the delinquent wears one. Make it so that the alarm goes off if parent and child are separated by more than six feet and make it very illegal with more than just 'hand slap' fines if an employer fires an employee because they are 'cuffed' to their child. I guarantee you one of two things will happen: Either the child will quickly be taught to behave once the parent gets a good look at what their child is really doing or the parent will annihilate the child ~ either way, the problem is going to be solved.

Stop this ridiculous "everyone passes" cr*p and LET KIDS FAIL. One of the biggest problems we have is that children are not allowed to fail. Example: peewee football: all teams go to the PeeWee Superbowl playoffs, even if their team stinks and never won a single season game. Well, here's reality: no one wins all the time and everyone fails at one time or another. Why aren't children being taught this, anymore?

I applaud your efforts to get media-based matters cleaned up as much as possible. It is desperately important to shield children from violence, obscenity and indencency. It is equally as desperately important for a **parent** to *teach* them right from wrong, Your effort, while a successful one and one i'm sure many people are grateful for, is but a drop in the bucket of what the U.S. is up against where our children are concerned.

**KUDOS** to Chris!! First, particularly your remark about "Hillary (and her) 'takes a village' book. First of all, this wasn't Hellery's idea; secondly, when i was a child, the "takes a village" concept was in place, just not like Hellery defines it. If we did something very, very wrong while playing up the street, the Mom of whomever we were playing with did not hesitate to give us a moderate (but effective) spanking and send us home. Meanwhile, she was calling our Mom to advise her what we had done and there was then parental discipline.

Secondly, your statement of not needing government down the backs of parents. Most parents are afraid to paddle their childrens' behinds. There is a huge difference in a much deserved paddling and beating a child. No injuries or broken bones have ever resulted from a responsible paddling ... but a lot of bad habits have certainly been broken. There is no reason to beat a child. Clocking your 17 y/o because he/she thought they were big enough to clock you is a different matter.

An example of this governmental interference: after my sister's husband died 2 years ago, she and their 10 y/o son were staying with me prior to the Memorial service. The son said something that really deserved a paddling. My sister said "You will NOT speak like that again and you will NOT do that again or you WILL get a spanking." My nephew, at 10 years old, replied "You spank me and I will call Child Protective Services and turn you in! They taught us how to do that in school!" I was not just shocked; i was outraged. If they are going to teach this, then teach the *difference* between responsible paddling vs beating and teach them how to call and report violent abuse and beatings, but make sure they know the difference.

Answer 2

Yes, because America is a powerful country. America has great financial, cultural, religious, and political influence and power. She can shape the culture of the world. If we clean up America's culture, we can clean up the culture of the world and build a better world for our children and the future generations. If we clean up America's culture, the rest of the world will follow her example. Many things can be learned from America. America can teach or educate or miseducate many people because of the power of media and Hollywood. If we have good movies from America the world will follow and unity, peace progress and a lot of good can come from cleaning up not only America's culture but the culture in our own homes and countries as well. I hope more people work for improving the culture in all corners of the universe.

Answer 3

Yes, starting with the people in Hollywood, and directors who make movies that make no sense to the American public. Having more childrens movies, that believe in families. More fun in movies, then serious all the time. Life isn't suppose to be serious all the time, we have to lighten up abit.

Secondly, people like Hillary Clinton, who say it takes a Village, and wipes away clean, parents who don't want to take responsiblity for their own children. Being a parent is hard work, but so rewarding, as well, for I know I'm one forever. Once a parent, always a parent. It takes only respect, being honest with yourself and your child, and having alot of love to give, and alot of time, which is not hard to give, if you have your priorities right. Sure they do need their leeway at times to learn, but need to know the guide lines for every move they make, and told that if something does happen, you will not abandon them, for they have to learn. You can only say so much, and then you hope they will know the difference between right and wrong and will turn out okay. Mine did, and I'm truly proud of her accomplishments and discoveries in the life she leads now. You have to tell them they are love and that they can come to you day or night. I'm a forever Mom, even at 30, she still needs to know she is loved and that you are there. Once your a Mom, you are a Mom forever even through death, you are teaching them about life and how to live it.

You cannot shield your children, they have to know, for their safety what is going on around them. They need to know at every age. Talking to them at every age, so they know how to protect themselves and being there when problems arise, not being egotistical.

Making sure the government isn't at your back door. They shouldn't be there with every given move you make with your child. No, a parent should not be abusive, but should be able to show their child that what they do will have consequences.

Parents should not have to be afraid of their children. The child should not fear their parents, but should understand that respect and responsiblity go along way to becoming a great family and individual.

I've seen too many people abuse their children, and ended up losing them in the end. I've seen parents, who just thought about their almighty money and their children ended up in prison, or committed suicide, because they were absent parents, who could have cared less.

We have to change in our society, and not listen to the government, people, who think they are in the know. We have to listen to our own hearts and souls and make a decision to make our families whole again no matter what it takes. Starting with our own and when have that right, communities, then States, then others overseas. We all have to unite to do this to save our children, which is so important now-a-days.

It takes courage, and perseverance to do so, but it must be done.

Answer 4

I'm a Germanic Pagan. I worship Wotan, the mighty warrior-poet. But I am considering converting to Danielism.

Answer 5

It is the parent's job, not the government's to "shield" children from inappropriate things. We do not need censorship. If something offends you, or you don't agree with it, don't watch it. If enough people don't like it, it will go away because the underlying force is money. If manufacturers thought they could make money selling framed pictures of Richard Nixon, they would.

Answer 6

Yes by all means. But I would suggest that condemning people never works well. Instead find out why is there so much violence, blasphemy and portrayal of horror on television and the need for it. Is it because it sells? if so we all bear a collective responsibility.

Answer 7

media is not the problem, parents are too busy saving up to by that benz that they are not spending any time with their children, or allow them to develop a hobby. When I was young, i had so much going on i had no time for tv

Answer 8

Censorship for kids is their parents job not the government's. I say expose them to tv and use as an opportunity to clarify values.

Answer 9

I suppose if you have a need to conform, you have to obsess over what other people do. In your "clean" culture, would people be HONEST about their need to relate...?

Answer 10

You have a Condoleeza Rice complex.