It’s come to my attention that some people think I should be posting more of my own thoughts to the blog, rather than simply rehashing links from elsewhere across the net. And I suppose they’re right…
…oh, you want something NOW? Um…OK.
I’m getting really tired of hearing about kids who get hurt or get into trouble because they’re recreating something they’ve seen on television or in movies. I’m thinking specifically of the kid from the “Jackass” story (link below) and the 13 year old who was convicted of murder for killing an 8 year old with wrestling moves.
Where are the parents? Can someone please answer that question for me? It’s all well and good that we have a movie ratings system, a TV ratings system, a video game ratings system – but most of the time, that just helps kids decide what’s worth watching!
Parents are supposed to be making sure that their children understand that when the Rock hits a spinebuster on Chris Benoit, the men on TV are trained professionals executing a move in a way that neither man gets hurt. Parents are supposed to be there to help their children comprehend that the people they see on “Jackass” are either very brave or very stupid, but either way precautions were taken to make sure no one dies. Parents need to help children realize that “Beavis & Butthead” is just a cartoon, and in real life, they can’t (or shouldn’t) play “frog baseball”, or set stuff on fire, or masturbate in their neighbor’s tool shed without repercussions. But that’s not how our society operates anymore. Blame the media. Blame the studios. Blame Vince McMahon. Do anything other than take responsibility for your children. And if they do something wrong – like, oh, I don’t know, kill a little girl – not only should you deny it and blame everyone else, but demand that your children shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of their actions! (You only have to read the comments Lionel Tate’s mother makes in this ABCnews.com article about the verdict to understand what I mean here.) Sorry, folks, but when I was 13, I knew a lot of things, including right and wrong. (Also, the NYC subway system, but that’s a story for another time.)
I’m going to stop here. Any longer and this could go under “My $0.02”. But you get the idea.