Radio
So, since I've been sick I like to listen to the radio a lot more. I listen to some of the more politically charged shows, and they are always entertaining. I've been tempted quite a few times to call in and voice my opinion, but have always wussed out. I had to laught this morning because they were talking again about illegal immigration and how a wall should be built between the U.S. and Mexico. And here goes the quote of the day
This is from a comedian named Mencia
M: So I heard they wanted to ship all the illegal immigrants out of the country, get all the mexicans back to Mexico, then build a wall to keep them there.... Right, ok, so who's gonna build the wall?
This morning though, I dialed the number on the cell, and almost hit "send." They were talking about violent video games, bullying and the school shooting that was in the news today. A guy called in and said that he himself had brought a gun to school about 25 years ago and had planned on shooting someone who had picked on him.
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think that violent video games are "good," I don't think that violence is the answer to anything, and I definitely don't think that anyone should be shooting anyone. The thing is, I was bullied as a kid, I got jumped a few times, played violent video games, but I never killed anyone. My uncles always bullied me. Now that I think of it, I might have bullied my little brothers and sisters a little. I lived in the ghetto growing up, saw plenty of violence, but never even had the urge to get "even." I got into a couple of fights at school, but it was with fists not firearms. And it wasn't to get even. It was self defense.
It bugs me that people will automatically blame the video games. I love playing video games. Granted their are some pretty scary ones out there, but then comes my next point. These violent video games that are so bad have ratings. Any game that is rated "M for Mature" cannot be bought by anyone under 17. You can't get into an "R" rated movie under 17 without an adult. So here's my question... Where are all the adults in these kids' lives? How did they get these video games that turned them into the mindless zombies that will imitate the fantasy that they see on the tv screen?
I've worked with teenagers closely in the past 5 years, during a religious mission for my church and afterwards, and I have a theory. Some of this is from my own experience. I don't mean to judge, I just like to figure out why things are the way they are. I think that parents get wrapped up in their own lives so much that they don't ever really develop a good communicative relationship with their children. We just don't communicate as well with our parents. I think some of it has to do with the fact that parents don't want to intrude or be overbearing, they want to give their kids space as they grow up. Some of it might have to do with the fact that kids today learn more about life and the world from the tv than from the family. I think some of it has to do with the fact that a lot of families have 2 parents in the work place, and there is little or no parent child relationship. I really admire my mother-in-law, because she "gave up" a career to be at home with her kids. Wifey always talks about how she admires her for that, and how grateful she is for the relationship she has with her mother. Wifey freely admits that she was a strong-headed teenager and did those dumb things that teenagers do, but she now knows that her mom always wanted the best for her. I hope that when we have kids, and -GULP- teenagers, that we can have a great relationship with them, and that we can communicate freely. I know that sounds weird, but I know from personal experience that if your kids can't talk to you, they look for anyone or anything that will listen, and then cling to that more than to their own family.
So moral of the stories boys and girls....
This is from a comedian named Mencia
M: So I heard they wanted to ship all the illegal immigrants out of the country, get all the mexicans back to Mexico, then build a wall to keep them there.... Right, ok, so who's gonna build the wall?
This morning though, I dialed the number on the cell, and almost hit "send." They were talking about violent video games, bullying and the school shooting that was in the news today. A guy called in and said that he himself had brought a gun to school about 25 years ago and had planned on shooting someone who had picked on him.
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think that violent video games are "good," I don't think that violence is the answer to anything, and I definitely don't think that anyone should be shooting anyone. The thing is, I was bullied as a kid, I got jumped a few times, played violent video games, but I never killed anyone. My uncles always bullied me. Now that I think of it, I might have bullied my little brothers and sisters a little. I lived in the ghetto growing up, saw plenty of violence, but never even had the urge to get "even." I got into a couple of fights at school, but it was with fists not firearms. And it wasn't to get even. It was self defense.
It bugs me that people will automatically blame the video games. I love playing video games. Granted their are some pretty scary ones out there, but then comes my next point. These violent video games that are so bad have ratings. Any game that is rated "M for Mature" cannot be bought by anyone under 17. You can't get into an "R" rated movie under 17 without an adult. So here's my question... Where are all the adults in these kids' lives? How did they get these video games that turned them into the mindless zombies that will imitate the fantasy that they see on the tv screen?
I've worked with teenagers closely in the past 5 years, during a religious mission for my church and afterwards, and I have a theory. Some of this is from my own experience. I don't mean to judge, I just like to figure out why things are the way they are. I think that parents get wrapped up in their own lives so much that they don't ever really develop a good communicative relationship with their children. We just don't communicate as well with our parents. I think some of it has to do with the fact that parents don't want to intrude or be overbearing, they want to give their kids space as they grow up. Some of it might have to do with the fact that kids today learn more about life and the world from the tv than from the family. I think some of it has to do with the fact that a lot of families have 2 parents in the work place, and there is little or no parent child relationship. I really admire my mother-in-law, because she "gave up" a career to be at home with her kids. Wifey always talks about how she admires her for that, and how grateful she is for the relationship she has with her mother. Wifey freely admits that she was a strong-headed teenager and did those dumb things that teenagers do, but she now knows that her mom always wanted the best for her. I hope that when we have kids, and -GULP- teenagers, that we can have a great relationship with them, and that we can communicate freely. I know that sounds weird, but I know from personal experience that if your kids can't talk to you, they look for anyone or anything that will listen, and then cling to that more than to their own family.
So moral of the stories boys and girls....
And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the devil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.
But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
Mosiah 4:14,15
posted by Rasta Bob at 3:54 PM
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