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An Apology to the World
Dear World,
I apologize for what you’ve been watching lately – if indeed you’ve been watching American Television. For somehow, while most of us were off living our lives, someone or something has taken over our media conglomerates, corporations and legislatures and decided that in this great land of freedom, that anything- flat out ANYTHING - goes.
It’s absolutely horrific.
My family can not watch a simple football game without my hand on the remote control ready to rapidly change channels. For in an instant we can go from watching a sport we enjoy, to images and language so graphically violent and sex charged that any psychologist worth his salt would advise that they weren’t particularly appropriate for adults much less children.
Typically these images come flooding in as the networks promote their own upcoming programs. I don’t watch a lot of TV, and maybe I’ve somehow become a prude at the ripe old age of 45, but the filth and violence and message that its normal (if not expected) to have sex with any stranger that will agree to it, has gone absolutely off the charts.
At 6:15 PM last week, CBS aired a promo for one of its programs that showed what appeared to be a very young female (possibly late teen-ish?) in bed lying atop a young male. While a blanket covered the lower half of their bodies, it was clear that total nudity was implied for both. On the screen were the words read by a narrator, “You never forget your first time!” Followed by the young woman saying, “That was great – can we do it again!” The young man looks surprised at this request and the idea is that we should laugh because he apparently isn’t physically ready to have sex again.
Is this just me or is that completely inappropriate programming to be shown at any hour, much less promo-ed at Six O’clock in the evening while millions of young children and teenagers are watching? And this for a program clearly aimed at young people to air later that evening?
And that’s just the tip of the tip of the iceberg. As I watched the college bowl games and NFL playoffs over the last two weeks I have been repeatedly shocked at what I have seen displayed during commercials. Truthfully, I feel like Rip-Van Revercomb – that I have somehow fallen asleep and awoken in a period that has a whole new set of rules, where literally ALL bets are off and ANYTHING goes. Where the heck are the people that are supposed to monitor this stuff? Or maybe more importantly, where the heck are you and I?
Let’s face it - we have become complacent - and its time that those of us who know such imagery and messages have no place being broadcast at such times, get off our comfortable couches and do something about it. Maybe it means avoiding the products that are advertised on offending channels. Maybe it means sending letters and emails to corporations, broadcasters and our elected representatives. Maybe it means shutting the television off except for very specific broadcasts. And maybe it even means throwing the damn thing out.
Sorry. But that’s how I feel.
So apologies world – those of us who know better are allowing those who don’t, to assault and poison the minds of our children and young people.
But maybe there’s a better day ahead – maybe having allowed things to get so bad we will soon reach a point at which our complete revulsion will tip a strong movement back towards basic decency and common sense. In my opinion that day cannot come soon enough. In the meantime, we need to do everything we can to be voices in the wilderness.
If you’re in agreement, please take note of the organizations below and act. One voice becomes two, becomes ten, becomes a hundred and so on . . . and before you know it something positive happens. After all, the fall of Rome started somewhere.
Let’s get to work and lift this end up.
Parents Television Council: www.parentstv.org
At the PTC website you can do everything from file a complaint with the FCC and Advertisers to contacting key Government Representatives.
707 Wilshire Boulevard #2075, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: 213.629.9255
Email: editor@parentstv.org
Common Sense Media: www.commonsensemedia.org
Provides tools and information so that families have a choice and a voice about the media they consume.
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 555, San Francisco, 94103
Phone: 415-863-0600
Email: info@commonsensemedia.org
National Institute on Media and the Family: www.mediafamily.org
Their mission is to maximize the benefits and minimize the harm of media on children through research, education and advocacy.
606 24th Avenue South, Suite 606, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Phone: 888-672-KIDS (672-5437)
- Stuart