Since the school shooting in Littleton, Colorado earlier this Spring, here’s been lots of talk about kids, morality, parental responsibility, school responsibility and the significance of video games, TV and films on child behavior.
Let’s talk about everyday life for a moment. One wonders how kids growing up today can possibly have any morals whatsoever, when they see people like President Clinton, who’s supposed to represent the highest grade of character, misuse his political office, lie to his friends, family, the nation and a grand jury, cheat, and engage in adultery. He has suffered no ill effects of his horrendous behavior and remains happily in office. A good percentage of the country thought it didn’t matter that he misused his office; that he lied repeatedly or that he engaged in adultery … all because it concerned his personal life. Which of course then translates to our kids that it’s okay to behave this way in general. Well, it’s not.
Politicians lie routinely to help get themselves elected. Promise after promise is made then quickly they are all forgotten by the politician who insists that he was merely mistaken. The truth is, the politician knows very well that what he’s promising will never come to pass. Yet, he/she continues to lead people astray for the sake of greater glory. No accountability. If there were, then the first time a promise was broken, the politician would be booted out of office.
Remember Mike Tyson? He’s a convicted criminal. He raped a woman and on another occasion, brutally attacked people and that was outside the boxing ring. He’s rewarded with millions of dollars and rather than stick by their guns in condemning his brutal, unsportsman-like behavior in the ring with Evander Holyfield, the boxing commission lets the brute back in the ring to cause more damage and earn more millions. Tyson is little more than a thug and a bum. But he’s a successful bum and I guess that’s all that matters. How many kids from the inner city (especially) have looked to this man as a hero?
Now let’s look at rap music ‘artist’ Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs who had been arrested on felony assault charges for beating up a record executive in New York. Combs effectively plea-bargained a deal that allowed him to escape a 7-year prison sentence. He will not pay any fines and will do no community service. This 29-year old multimillionaire will continue making new albums for his Bad Boy Entertainment record label. Oh yeah, I forgot, he does get to spend one day in an anger management class. That should help the creep out. Just another example of not having to take responsibility for your actions. Rap (I refuse to call it music) is listened to by scores of youth. The lyrics are filled with every obscenity and disrespect imaginable, yet the lingo “dissing” someone – meaning showing disrespect – comes flying out of the mouths of so many kids today. Respect? They wouldn’t know the meaning of it if it dropped on them like a ton of rap C.D.s.
So what’s it all mean? It means that proper behavior is a thing of the past. There is no accountability, no requirements in this modern society of ours. Do what you want and you can get away with murder, theft, battery, assault, and lying.
Why waste time wondering why kids lack morals and responsibility? Every day the real world tells them they don’t need any. (original post approx 1999)
