Silly Parents – Guns Are for Kids!
I am going to make it plain and simple: Everything in this world was and is made for children. That’s right! The list includes drugs, foul language, sex, violence, fighting, death, witchcraft, smoking, drinking, etc. This list also includes guns by the way. Many would argue that this is an absurd statement, and that I should be ashamed for thinking such a thing. Well, that would be true, if you are as blind as a bat!
Let’s examine the world and the businesses that strive on these things. There are people who sell drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, condems, and other things, that are not necessary for a child at his/her age. Rightfully so, these people should not sell them to children. However, they are able to get their advertisements broadcasted to children. And I am not just talking about commercials here. I am talking about the entertainment they watch in general. Some of the cartoons have exploited several scenes that involved having a gun, using foul language or being disrespectful to authority, or smoking a cigarette. Don’t believe me? Um, have you ever heard of Looney Tunes? That should refresh your memory. Yosemite Sam was always grumbling when he was tricked or upset, or holding guns to shoot Bugs Bunny. They even flashed the word jackass in one of the episodes – describing a donkey. Even the Jetsons had smoking for crying out! Well, what about this generation? In one of the episodes of Spongebob Squarepants, Spongebob responded to a task he did not finish, “Ah shrimp.” Now, to a child that means nothing, but adults should catch on to this kind of language. What Spongebob meant to say was “Ah s*@#.” Even in The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, Spongebob and his friend Patrick were shown at a bar being drunk over ice cream. Have a good time explaining that to a child.
Even the popular Justice League is becoming more adult in some of their content. There have been scenes where characters kiss or flirt. Not much of a problem here, but some of the dialogue exchanged in the flirting has its twists of its own. In one scene, Green Arrow was practicing his fighting techniques on a punching bag, and the lovely Black Canary entered the room. This is what she had to say: “You happy punching the bag, or you want to go a few rounds with me?” When Green Arrow paused in astonishment, she rolled her eyes and replied, “I am talking about sparring.” Green Arrow responded “that’d be nice too.”
Another example of cartoons is anime. Most anime shows come from manga series, or volume comic books. Originally in the manga, there is a lot of sex, language, and drinking, as part of the common manga scenarios. For the anime, several of the influences are carried over, to continue the heart and spirit of the book series. One popular manga series, Love Hina, involves those same influences, adding nudity on almost every page. It was carried over to become a cartoon series, excluding some nudity, but still have the grabbing of girls’ chests and other body parts. And what’s the rating on the DVD for the cartoon? Ages 13+, thank you very much!
It still continues for the influences provided by entertainment. The mainstream has seemed to be the music industry, and the artists who provide the music to the consumers. Many young people desire to wear the same clothes, live in the same house, and have the same lifestyles as those on television. Already, adult influences have persuaded young people to act like adults in their behaviors. With that said the maturity level for young children is being reached and going beyond it. More young people believe they are equal to their parents, and the respect for them must now be earned by their children. Respect does not come cheap, and to have it lost by a child at a young age can be frustrating for a loving parent.
Now, I cannot put all the blame on entertainment. Let’s face it, parents can have the control of what their children can/cannot watch or listen. With the world growing darker by the second, it would be wise to monitor the programs and shows that your children are watching. The businesses are aimed at young people, because they know that if you start off feeding the consumers young, then they will be stuck with it for life. More kids play video games that are rated T or M. Several, if not all, do have a copy of Grand Theft Auto, Halo, or Doom. Think of the content children are being exposed to. Maybe it is alright for your child now, but wait until they grow a little older. We would just have to wait, and see, won’t we?
But hey? They are just kids; they do not understand what’s placed in front of their eyes. What’s the harm? Say that to those who lost their children to gun violence and gang wars. Lives lost to the likes of drug lords and business executives just trying to make more green. But like I said, they’re just kids. So, I guess it’s okay to let them have guns.
