Family values more important than media
By Laura Vatalaro, southeast news editor

     The big issue in the recent political debates between the Republicans and Democrats has been violence in the media, especially on TV. Both sides have pretty much the same response to the issue: violence is bad for television because of its accessibility to young children. As a concerned voter watching the rants of the opposing sides, I have one question: "Why is there suddenly such a concern?"
     Violence has always been a part of society, which is why it has become such a large part of the media today and in the past. It surrounds us and cannot be completely eliminated. However, although we are violent as a society, we don’t have to stand for violence in the media, right? Then, why do people watch violent programming on television or even go out and pay for a violent film to support something that is the evil of all society?
     Simply enough, it fascinates people. I, personally, like violent movies. Most movies don’t have enough of a story line to keep a viewer’s attention without some degree of violence. It’s not like I, or the majority of people who enjoy such films, see only violent movies. However, violence is something that I will pay to see.
     Many Americans must like to see violence on the big screen. Some of the top-grossing movies of all time, such as Jurassic Park, Gone with the Wind and Star Wars, are based on violence. They are also great movies.
     However, the issue in today’s debates has not been centered so much on the silver screen as it has on television. Angry parents have protested that television is too violent and is to blame for all the problems in today’s society.
     A normal child who watches a violent television program does not go out and reenact those actions on their classmates. A child with parents who have taught him what is real and what is fake does not go to school and kill people just because someone on television did it.
     The idea that television is what drives young people to act in a violent manner is, in my opinion, absurd. I was in high school when the shootings happened at Columbine. I was terrified to go to school the day after the shootings because of the rumors that were going around at my school that we might be next.
     But, television did not drive those kids to go on a shooting spree at their school. Out of all the young people who watch violent programming on television, what percentage of them has gone out and killed someone? Less than 1 percent of 1 percent.
     I understand that violence on television can be a bad thing, but it does not cause a normal child to be suddenly driven to kill, and it certainly doesn’t give the impression that it’s okay to kill anyone.
     The key to keeping peace in our society is not doing away with violence in the media, but rather building a better family base in our homes. Imagine how much it would have helped the children who lashed out by killing others if their mom or dad had just asked them how they were feeling one day or encouraged the child to get involved with school instead of with fire arms.
     Violence in the media has become excessive to a certain degree. There are some things that young children should never have to see.
     But eliminating violence in the media is not only ridiculous, but also unrealistic. Until we as a society refuse to watch violence, it will always be on television and in the movies.