| In virtually every city of every nation lurks predators. | | | | did CareerBuilder.com, General Motors, and Pepsi-Co. |
| They stalk us, our children, our wives, our loved | | | | These companies also bought more than one spot of |
| ones, and sometimes, they are successful in their | | | | advertising time. |
| predatory actions. We become their victim. | | | | But, some of you would try and argue that sitting a |
| Virtually every day of every week, some ordinary | | | | child-especially an emotionally stressed child-in front of |
| citizen falls prey to one of these predators. We | | | | a television, or video game, or movie screen, or |
| lament the loss of another life, we weep and wail, | | | | computer, and exposing that mind to exciting, thrilling, |
| and our hearts break as we anguish over the brutal | | | | chilling, and breath-taking scenes of violence and gore |
| rape, or kidnapping or murder, or other violent | | | | and sex for hours-not just 30 seconds-somehow |
| predatory action that has befallen someone amongst | | | | does nothing to the psyche and mind of that child. |
| us. | | | | What colossal ignorance and arrogance! |
| But, it happens again, later, to someone else. Then | | | | If you don't believe there is a link in the steady |
| again. And again. Over and over, we read or hear | | | | stream of graphic violence and pornography that is |
| about another victim amongst us. | | | | flooding our world, then you're (a) not well read; and |
| You would like to think that brilliant minds have been | | | | (b) not a critical thinker; and (c) were terrible as a |
| coming up with solutions. They haven't. It turns out, | | | | child trying to connect dots (no doubt you still color |
| most of them aren't so brilliant. Worse, those who | | | | outside the lines). |
| have come up with solutions find their solutions are | | | | The Link Between Graphic Violence and Real Violence |
| not acceptable to a certain segment of the world's | | | | In 1995, Frontline did a documentary entitled "Does |
| society-especially large (and powerful) segments of | | | | TV Kill?" Reporter Alan Austin and a crew (which |
| American and European society. | | | | included psychologist Leonard Eron) went to Hudson, |
| Sexual predators are on the rise around the world. In | | | | New York to interview, observe and film |
| America alone, between 1980 and 1986, the number | | | | people-particularly children-to study their behavior and |
| of sexual abuse cases involving children tripled, and | | | | attitudes about watching television. [8] The hour-long |
| today, there are more than 300,000 child sexual | | | | documentary was very revealing. |
| abuse reports investigated annually in our nation. [1] | | | | The crew targeted several volunteer families in the |
| One incredible statistic published in 2001 in the Annual | | | | town and trained their cameras on those who |
| Review of Sociology, and shown in the U.S. Bureau of | | | | watched television. Eron had done similar work in |
| Justice statistics, [2] noted that for all kinds of violent | | | | 1960, finding then that the children who watched |
| crime in the year 1998, including sexual assaults, 87.9 | | | | violent programs were more aggressive in school. He |
| of every one thousand adolescents between the | | | | returned in 1971 and 1980, re-interviewing the same |
| ages of twelve to fifteen became victims. | | | | subjects. He found that those who had absorbed a |
| It gets worse for teenagers between the ages of | | | | substantial amount of violent television programming, |
| sixteen and nineteen, who suffer from a violent | | | | had problems with violence in their late adolescence |
| crime at the rate of 96.2 for every one thousand of | | | | and early adulthood. Indeed, these individuals had |
| them. Indeed, their numbers rose to over 123 per | | | | more interaction with the police, having substantially |
| one thousand teens in 1995, but dropped steadily | | | | more arrests and criminal convictions, were more |
| afterwards. In the year 2005, the number was down | | | | aggressive within the confines of their homes, and, |
| to 44.3 victims of a violent crime per one thousand | | | | significantly, had children who were more aggressive. |
| teens between the ages of sixteen and nineteen. | | | | [9] |
| Those numbers might sound really great, until you do | | | | One rather stunning scene in the documentary came |
| the math on them. If you look closer at those | | | | near the end of the program when a young boy, |
| numbers, that means that out of 1000 children from | | | | standing with his parents, was asked what he'd do if |
| the ages sixteen to nineteen, approximately 44 of | | | | offered one million dollars to give up watching |
| them will, at some point in time during those years, | | | | television. Without any hesitation, he rejected it. His |
| suffer from some kind of violent crime, including | | | | mother, her voice ringing with disbelief, said, "Not |
| sexual assaults and murder. To really comprehend the | | | | even for a million?" When asked why, his response |
| significance of those numbers, we must look at the | | | | was to the effect that there would be nothing else |
| U.S. Census Bureau tables which tell us that there | | | | to do. Clearly, this child represents the attitudes of |
| were, in the 2000 Census, 21,324,186 children | | | | millions. They're addicted to a drug that's not taken |
| between fifteen and nineteen years age. [3] | | | | with a needle, but is taken directly into the mind, and |
| Statistically, we can say approximately .04% of those | | | | its effect is akin to a drug in that it substantially |
| children are going to be victimized during those years. | | | | alters the mind, alters the attitudes, alters |
| That translates to 852,967 children becoming victims | | | | perceptions, and even affects the children physically. |
| of a violent crime-often a sexually violent crime- in a | | | | One estimate made by researchers in the early |
| single year. That is a staggering amount of children | | | | 1990's found that by the time a child left elementary |
| who have become victims of a predator. And, that's | | | | school, he or she had seen 8,000 murders and over |
| only one age bracket. Truly, our children are suffering. | | | | 100,000 acts of violence. [10] |
| They are being assaulted from a wide array of | | | | Parts of Eron's studies revealed a large segment of |
| predators, while society is in a moral stupor-deaf and | | | | children who had become physically inactive from |
| dumb to it all. | | | | watching television, i.e., these children are seldom |
| But, we adults fare little better. | | | | found outside playing, but are often found in front of |
| If you leap forward to those who are between the | | | | the television set. To say that television watching is |
| ages of 35 to 49, the statistics show 17.6 of every | | | | not addictive is simply not a statement that can be |
| 1000 in that age bracket are victims of a violent | | | | made with any credibility. It is addictive, it is |
| crime. In terms of population, that translates to a | | | | psychologically debilitating, and physically harmful, and |
| staggering 1.17 million men and women who will be | | | | has also been shown to negatively affect the family |
| victims of a violent crime during those years. For | | | | relationships . [11] Moreover, studies have linked |
| those of us over the age of fifty, to the age of | | | | sexually suggestive programs with sexual behavior by |
| sixty-four, 11.4 out of every thousand will be victims | | | | children, as well as an increased sexual awareness |
| of a violent crime. That translates to 593,567 men | | | | that has lead to teen pregnancies. [12] |
| and women in that age bracket who will fall victim to | | | | Bok Sessela's excellent book, "Mayhem," revealed an |
| a violent crime. That's over a half million of us. So, do | | | | enormous amount of data in studies that clearly |
| the math for just those three age brackets alone | | | | shows there is a definite link to the images being |
| and you have, from just that portion of the | | | | poured into the minds of our children on a regular |
| population, 2,616,534 men, women, and teens, who, | | | | basis, and that this is directly affecting our society in |
| in a single year, will be a victim of a violent crime. | | | | negative fashion. She showed how the research |
| And, the numbers for the population as a whole is | | | | reveals that a rather dramatic desensitization has |
| even worse, because in 2005, the government | | | | been taking place in our society. We are bombarded |
| shows that 21 American citizens out of every 1000 | | | | hourly with reality tv, showing crime scenes, murders, |
| suffered from a violent crime in that year. That | | | | catastrophes, and a myriad of other actual events |
| means that out of a population of approximately | | | | that, over time, tend to give what Sessela calls |
| 296,507,061, somewhere in excess of 6 million of us | | | | "compassion fatigue." [13] After awhile, people who |
| suffered from a violent crime. Six million. That's a six | | | | see so much violence, so much horror, and so much |
| with six zeros after it! | | | | catastrophe, shut themselves off emotionally. One |
| Is it any wonder that we live in a state of fear, that | | | | can only shed so many tears, can only be horrified so |
| the older citizens are perpetually nervous, and that | | | | long, and eventually, a numbness comes to that |
| millions of women are too frightened to even stay | | | | person. The barriers come up and the emotions are |
| alone at home with the kids at night when the | | | | "dumbed down." |
| husband must be gone? In a nation with almost 17 | | | | If a 30 second commercial can impact millions of |
| thousand (17,000) murders a year (that's like having | | | | minds, there is surely an incalculable measure of |
| six September 11's strung together in a single year), | | | | damage done, and being done, to tens of thousands |
| we are a nation paralyzed with fear. Our children are | | | | of children and adults on a daily basis. Some of those |
| being assaulted, raped, murdered, kidnapped, and we | | | | children can't handle it, can't deal with the overload, |
| are being stalked by predators that live next door. | | | | and we suddenly experience a Columbine, or another |
| The predator numbers have risen as the population | | | | senseless, brutal act somewhere by an adult (who |
| has increased. More and more deviant behavior | | | | once was a child whose mind was being fed this |
| patterns are emerging. More and more "crazies" are | | | | garbage), and we gasp, "Why? How can we stop |
| showing up. We're seeing the real-life Freddie | | | | this?" |
| Krueger's come into our neighborhoods. | | | | I contend that it is this assault upon our emotions |
| We keep wondering, "Why? Why us? Why is this | | | | and minds which has brought us remorseless |
| happening?" | | | | killers-men and women who do despicable acts that |
| There are answers, but most don't want to hear | | | | horrify us, that make us wonder how any human |
| those answers, don't want to believe those answers, | | | | could do such a thing. But, when one considers the |
| and even if they do believe them, they don't want | | | | torrent of media material-television drama, videos, |
| to take the steps necessary to stop the nightmares | | | | games, movies, and even the news-that sweeps into |
| visiting on our streets on a daily basis. Ironically, our | | | | the minds of millions like a tsunami invading an |
| behavior, as a society, is akin to those who are | | | | occupied village, it is no wonder that some minds |
| addicted to Crystal Methamphetamine. Even though | | | | cannot handle it. Overload of the senses brings a |
| our skin is blotchy, reddened and scabbed over, and | | | | numbing to the psyche. Add to that, life's ordinary |
| our ability to chew our food is diminished because our | | | | traumas, like sickness, poverty, peer pressure, and |
| teeth are starting to loosen, and though we live | | | | merely growing up, and you have the conditions ripe |
| through hundreds of Nightmares on Elm Streets, we | | | | for the "Perfect Killer" who will, in a storm of |
| can't-and will not-escape. | | | | violence, one day pay back to society what it gave |
| A Parallel | | | | him or her: pain, murder, mayhem, and violence. |
| There is an interesting parallel to our societal behavior | | | | Why Can't We Stop? |
| with respect to our refusal to remedy the problem | | | | How interesting it is to me, our reaction to 9-11 and |
| of predators, and someone addicted to "crystal | | | | our reaction to millions of murders that happen on an |
| meth." First of all, virtually all of the meth made today | | | | annual basis in our nation. I'm rather stunned that we |
| is "home-made" (and illegal). It is a stimulant to the | | | | can accept violent acts of crime, including sexual |
| central nervous system, giving an adrenaline-like rush | | | | assaults, of over a half a million-852,967-of our |
| to the brain and spinal cord. Our body has | | | | children, aged 15 to 19 years of age, in a single year's |
| neurotransmitters-chemical substances-which are | | | | period of time. We are willing to accept those losses. |
| used to communicate to the body, transmitting | | | | There are few headlines, except where there is a |
| information that influences our moods, thinking, and | | | | Columbine-type incident, of the horrendous numbers |
| other systems in the body. | | | | of our children being victimized. Ah, but let some |
| Meth provides an overload of stimulation, such that | | | | terrorists kill only a small fraction of that number |
| individuals high on "crystal meth" have a feeling of | | | | (approximately .003%-less than 1/10th of 1%), and it |
| power and invincibility. But, in reality, they are | | | | traumatizes a nation and sent it into a political storm |
| completely unaware of the deterioration of their | | | | of legislation. |
| intellectual abilities, the drastic diminishment of their | | | | I suggest that we adults, as a nation, have become |
| physical abilities, and even oblivious to their horrid | | | | so addicted and accustomed to absorbing the graphic |
| appearance. They begin to live in a fantasy world, | | | | violence, the graphic pornographic and sexual material, |
| oblivious to everything except their need for the | | | | and the daily diet of "hard news" that we cannot |
| drug. They will sacrifice anything they own (or that | | | | turn it off. We are addicted, but we refuse to |
| you own) in order to supply their habit. | | | | acknowledge it. We can't pull Johnnie and Julie away |
| We're so much like these meth addicts-so very much. | | | | from the tv set because we're so addicted to it |
| Sadly, we don't even know it. | | | | ourselves, we can't justify denying them their |
| Have you ever wondered why it is there are so | | | | pleasure. And, of course, there's the "ignorance |
| many "Weirdos" out there? Have you ever given | | | | factor," which accounts for the rest of the reasons |
| thought to the reasons why there are such a large | | | | why we can't stop. Some are willingly ignorant, |
| number of individuals who seem to have no | | | | refusing to entertain for a second that they might be |
| conscience, and who seem to be completely without | | | | an enabler to the Monster Factory by pre-approving |
| feelings? They have no sorrow for their crimes-only | | | | the lessons, paying for them, providing the equipment |
| sorrow for being caught. They have no remorse. | | | | and housing for the school, and even supplying the |
| They can brutalize a child, yet feel only pleasure and | | | | student. |
| a feeling of empowerment. They never identify with | | | | I suggest there are deeper reasons, as well, for our |
| their victim, never wonder at the terror of their | | | | inability to stop the Kruegeristic-Wahhabism floods of |
| victim, and never consider the absolute nightmare of | | | | gore and filth that come pouring into our minds and |
| horror that destroyed their victim's mind and life after | | | | the minds of our children. Can it be that the moguls |
| they were done with them. Have you ever | | | | who brought us such "entertainment" and who have |
| wondered how that is possible? Have you wondered | | | | reaped the measureless profits from it all, are |
| why the numbers of such freakish individuals is rising? | | | | themselves so addicted to their wealth, their craft, |
| Is there some kind of Freak School or Monster 101 | | | | their position of power and influence, and their own |
| class for such beings? Where is the factory for these | | | | fare, that they are as unable to pull themselves away |
| aliens, these apparent sub-human species? | | | | from the poisonous teat, even as we are? It would |
| There is such a "school," and there are "lessons" | | | | seem to be so. Or, do you know of a Hollywood |
| being taught to these monsters, these predators | | | | producer who has suddenly said, "Enough! I will no |
| who stalk us and our children. But, I'm also convinced | | | | longer produce trash that merely feeds the appetite |
| that we-as a society-are unwilling to shut the | | | | for violence and sex. I will seek to feed the soul, the |
| "schools" down. In fact, we're willing to supply the | | | | intellect, and the spirit. Know any of those? Perhaps |
| "monsters" (from our own homes) and we're willing | | | | there are a handful of them. But, surely their |
| to supply the victims (from our own homes), but | | | | numbers are few, and their profits are surely not |
| we're not willing to shut down the training centers. | | | | soaring as usual. |
| We're very much like many of the Muslim countries | | | | They could still have enormous profits, if they would |
| who are in a quandary similar to our own. The Saudis | | | | pull away. Mel Gibson proved that. He showed that |
| have long had schools in which Wahhabism is taught. | | | | one could produce a movie that, while violent, was |
| This is a "brand" of Islam that teaches rigid and strict | | | | not done gratuitously, was far more than |
| of interpretations of the Koran (Curan, or al-quran). | | | | entertainment, was edifying, and reached out on a |
| The teachers of Wahhabism inculcate young minds | | | | spiritual plane to the audience, rather than seeking to |
| with these teachings that are merely a religious | | | | press all of the "pleasure buttons" of an audience, or |
| version of Nazism. These teachings are delivered | | | | trying to thrill the viewers with cheap violence, or |
| non-stop, inculcating the minds of the young Muslims | | | | seeking to please them with graphic sexual content. |
| with a hatred for all things Christian, Western, and | | | | Gibson's film, The Passion, made many millions, and is |
| Jewish. Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks | | | | still making money today. |
| on America, the United States government began | | | | Unless our nation begins to pay attention to the |
| pressuring Saudi Arabia to eliminate its educational | | | | producers of the hideous games and movies, and |
| material that demonizes Christians and Jews, or that | | | | acts aggressively, as a society, to restrict the |
| urges "jihad"-holy war-on "unbelievers." Saudi officials | | | | freedom to destroy minds-some have erroneously |
| gave much assurance that such had been done, but | | | | called it "freedom of speech-we will, as a society, |
| evidence from some sources, suggests otherwise. | | | | continue to have our nightmares visit us, but not on |
| There is, in Saudi Arabia, a "head knowledge" of the | | | | Elm street. They will reach into our homes-our |
| need for such reform, but there appears to be an | | | | neighborhoods, our street. Eventually, you will be hit. |
| absence of political will. In order to eliminate the | | | | Statistically, the odds are increasing that you're going |
| Wahhabism teachings, or even reform them, the | | | | to be a victim of a violent crime. It isn't just going to |
| Saudi government would pit itself against very | | | | be the children-it's going to be your children. And you. |
| powerful imans (Muslim clerics presumably able to lead | | | | We must act to curb the so-called "freedom" of the |
| others in all aspects of life, and thus, given enormous | | | | producers of mind-warping materials that are causing |
| respect by the populace.). These imans, if roused, | | | | men to rape our daughters and wives, and molest |
| could threaten the political life of the powerful House | | | | and murder our children. We must act to protect our |
| of Saud. | | | | society against those who are causing our children to |
| The Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Prince | | | | turn into mental and emotional zombies, unable to |
| Turki al-Faisal, noted that reforms had been made | | | | clearly reason, and able only to follow desires created |
| with respect to the training of the teachers and in | | | | by the psychological imprinting done by those who |
| the messages "given to children in the formative | | | | are driven by dreams of staggering wealth who are |
| years," and added that it was done "for our own | | | | willing to leave us with nightmares of hideous death. |
| security and our own educational standard." [4] | | | | They laugh all the way to the bank as they take |
| However, The Center for Religious Freedom at | | | | some of our children and turn them into Freddie |
| Freedom House studied some of the textbooks used | | | | Kruegers and turn our lives into nightmares. What |
| in the Saudi public schools and disputed the assertions | | | | fools we are to permit it. |
| of the Saudi officials. | | | | You know I'm right. |
| Nina Shea, the director of the center, noted that the | | | | Terrorists killed around 3000 of our citizens in a single |
| textbooks reflected "an ideology of hatred against | | | | year, in one act of violence. We passed legislation |
| the other, against Christians, Jews, other Muslims-for | | | | and made fundamental changes to our entire |
| instance, Shiites and the majority Sunni Muslims-and all | | | | governmental systems, from the federal to the state |
| others who do not subscribe to the Wahhabi | | | | and city level of government. We had sweeping |
| doctrine," and even taught that Christians and Jews | | | | debates, and our vigilance was heightened to |
| are 'apes and pigs;' and, they issued a dire warning | | | | unprecedented levels. We even had colored lights to |
| not to befriend or even respect non-believers. [5] | | | | warn us at what stage of alert we should be. |
| In America, we're faced with the same problem, and | | | | But, when over half a million of our children are hurt, |
| we're dealing with the problem very much like the | | | | no lights flash, no news bulletins come across the |
| Saudi government dealt with the problem of | | | | bottom of the television screen. Nothing. Just silence. |
| Wahhabism. We know we've got a problem with | | | | No congressmen are gathered on the Front Lawn for |
| crime and that violent predators are on the increase. | | | | a news conference to tell us how urgent it is we get |
| We know that there are "crops" of these maniacs | | | | out of our neighborhood before Freddie arrives. No |
| being grown within our borders. We know they are | | | | congressional calls are made for sweeping legislation |
| coming out of training well-versed in the killing arts, | | | | to stop those responsible for the unleashing of mass |
| and that they are skilled manipulators, and that they | | | | destruction of lives. (You do realize that nearly 17,000 |
| are as addicted to their lust for their crimes as a | | | | murders is "mass destruction," don't you?) I don't see |
| "crystal meth"addict. | | | | any alerts come on the television. No condition red. |
| So, what are we doing to stop them? | | | | Not orange. Nothing. Just business as usual. We send |
| Well, we're trying to stop them by enacting new | | | | troops over to Iraq to fight some real-life Freddies, |
| laws-stricter laws, which sweep broader, and which | | | | monsters, murderous goons and thugs who want to |
| increase the penalties. But, it was always against the | | | | mass-murder us and even their own innocents who |
| law to molest a child, or rape a woman, or murder a | | | | are mere bystanders, and after fewer deaths than |
| citizen. We've thought, somehow, that passing | | | | caused by the 9-11 attacks, our nation went into an |
| legislation will stop these predators. It is a band-aid, | | | | apoplectic, political frenzy. |
| nothing more. Sure, Megan's Law [6] is a good | | | | However, over 17,000 of us can be murdered and |
| thing-as well as other legislation-and it has helped | | | | over 6 million of us are attacked, and there's a |
| identify and locate predators, but it still will not stop a | | | | deafening silence, even from the pontificators who |
| predator. Once that mind is "bent" into a predatory | | | | sit as Lords on the High Court of Public Opinion, |
| pretzel, no legislation is going to unbend it. | | | | declaring to us what "the news" really is and really |
| In Order to Stop the Predators | | | | means. Their silence is deafening. No marches by |
| In order to stop the predators, we've got to stop | | | | Jesse Jame...uh, Jackson. No sharp tons of babbling |
| their minds from getting "bent." We've got to stop | | | | flesh telling us we have to stop these violent attacks |
| their psyches from being inculcated with the | | | | on black teens. No frenzied editorials from editors in |
| mind-bending images and scenarios that are crammed | | | | New York who apparently don't have the time to |
| into them from birth. We've got to make it a crime, | | | | care about mass destruction of humanity. No talking |
| or at least a violation of civil law, to "bend" the mind | | | | political heads making the rounds. No congressional |
| and psyche of a child. (You'd think that would be a | | | | mandates. No calls for the heads of Hollywood, nor |
| no-brainer.) | | | | Justice Department indictments of the Death Gaming |
| We have to stop the invasion of their minds by the | | | | Industry, and no cabal of lawyers demanding justice. |
| Death Gamers and the Hollywood violence and porn | | | | Just silence. |
| factories which depict sex and violence in such a way | | | | Even silence from the ACLU, those pretenders of the |
| as to interfere with the central nervous system, and | | | | protection of our "freedoms," but who haven't the |
| which desensitize humans so as to eradicate their | | | | common sense to comprehend that there is no |
| normal, ordinary emotions, turning them into beasts | | | | exercise of freedom in death. There are no liberties |
| of prey without morals, without feelings, and | | | | to defend, nor freedoms to exercise, nor appeals to |
| possessed of a seared conscience. The pornography | | | | write in hell. |
| factories, under the guise of "freedom of speech," | | | | Freddie's coming to your neighborhood. Like it or not, |
| have caused the rape and destruction of countless | | | | he's coming. |
| lives and ruined marriages by causing men to | | | | You'll wish then that those who numbed the mind of |
| compare their wives to a fantasy. They have | | | | your child, or whoever is the sudden, |
| embedded images in the minds of impressionable | | | | in-your-house-nightmare, had been put out of |
| young men, and older men-images that many of | | | | business and not been allowed to destroy the mind |
| them these individuals cannot eradicate, creating | | | | that destroyed your life. |
| urges they cannot control, and driving them to seek | | | | How I wish I were wrong. |
| a pleasurable release akin to what they've witnessed | | | | Voyle A. Glover |
| hundreds, if not thousands, of times on a screen. | | | | Copyright 2007 |
| They seek an illusion, even as the meth addict seeks | | | | Stop Sexual Predators from destroying a child's life |
| his or her illusion of power and pleasure. | | | | and your church. Order the book by Attorney Voyle |
| The invasion of the minds of so many of these | | | | A. Glover "Protecting Your Church Against Sexual |
| children is causing us to grow up generations of | | | | Predators" |
| warped, perverted, and emotionally damaged men | | | | [1] These are statistics I gathered in the research for |
| and women. They are unaware of the serious | | | | my book, Protecting Your Church Against Sexual |
| re-wiring that has gone on in their minds and their | | | | Predators, (Kregel, 2005) |
| emotional psyche. Those that are in their family often | | | | [2] See BJS, |
| don't see the trauma that has taken place until it's | | | | [3] US Census Bureau, |
| too late. Sometimes, it's only when they turn a | | | | [4] O'Hara, Vicky, Saudi Textbooks Still Teach Hate, |
| fantasy into a nightmare for someone that people | | | | Group Says, |
| suddenly realize little Jimmy "really had some | | | | [5] Id. |
| problems, but golly-gee-whiz, I never thought they | | | | [6] The brutal rape and murder of 7 year old Megan |
| were this bad." | | | | Kanka by a convicted child molester who was living in |
| Realize that not all children are the same and do not | | | | the neighborhood created such an outrage that |
| have the same minds, nor the same backgrounds, | | | | eventually, a federal law was passed in 1996 requiring |
| nor the same emotional temperaments. Some of | | | | sex offenders to register and communities to be |
| them come from homes and environments that are | | | | notified of their presence. Registration was already a |
| already cauldrons of scalding waters of life. Add to | | | | requirement, but now, notice was required. |
| that, images of violence that are so powerful and | | | | Eventually, all states passed a "Megan's Law" |
| radical that they indelibly permeate and imprint a mind | | | | providing for registration and notice, and today, due |
| and psyche that is already weakened, and you have | | | | to other legislation, most states post the identities |
| the perfect specimen for the role of Freddie. | | | | and locations of all registered sex offenders within |
| You think it isn't possible? You think watching | | | | the state. |
| hour-upon-hour of graphic violence and sex, and | | | | [7] La Monica, Paul R., "Super Prices for Super Bowl |
| minimizing moral values to the point of non-existence, | | | | ads," CNN, Money, January 3 2007, |
| does not sear a conscience, and that it does not | | | | [8] For more information on the documentary, |
| create lasting, motivational impressions upon | | | | including information on how to order the |
| minds-especially young minds? Well then, I suggest | | | | documentary, go to the following PBS website: |
| you ask Anheuser-Busch why it bought 10 advertising | | | | [9] Eron, Leonard D., "The Impact of Television |
| spots for Super Bowl XLI (the same number it | | | | Violence," testimony on behalf of the American |
| purchased for the Bowl game the year earlier). [7] Ad | | | | Psychological Association before the Senate |
| rates were pegged at $2.6 million for a 30-second | | | | Committee on Governmental affairs, June 1992. |
| spot. And, while it is probable that they were able to | | | | Congressional Record, vol 88, 1992, p. s8539; Eron, |
| get the rates down a bit, one still must wonder why | | | | Leonard D., "Relationship of TV Viewing Habits, and |
| it is that any business would be willing to spend that | | | | Aggressive Behavior in Children," Journal of Abnormal |
| kind of money on just 30 seconds of advertising if it | | | | and Social Psychology, vol. 67 (1963), pp. 193-96; |
| didn't work. | | | | Eron, Leonard D. and Huesmann, L. Rowell, "Television |
| Do you understand what advertising really is about? | | | | Violence and Aggressive Behavior," Advances in |
| Do you comprehend the nature of advertising? In | | | | Clinical Child Psychology, Benjamin B. Lahey and Alan |
| simple terms, advertising is the effort by a company | | | | E. Kazdin, eds., (New York: Plenum Press, 1984), vol. |
| to place their product before your eyes with the | | | | 7, pp. 35-55. |
| express purpose of influencing you favorably | | | | [10] Hamburg, David, "Today's Children," (New York: |
| towards their product, and for the ultimate goal of | | | | Times Books, 1992), p. 192. |
| inducing you to purchase their product. And, these | | | | [11] Sissela, Bok, "Mayhem," (Addison-Wesley 1998), |
| guys think that in 30 seconds, they can induce | | | | pp. 53-54 - this an excellent resource for anyone |
| enough people to like their product and to buy it, to | | | | seriously wondering about the harmful effects of |
| justify spending millions on that short span of | | | | violence and sexual material being poured into the |
| advertising time. | | | | minds of our society. I highly recommend this book. |
| They are willing to bet millions of dollars on their | | | | [12] Id., p. 54 |
| ability to shape the minds of millions of people in 30 | | | | [13] Id., p. 68 |
| seconds of time. It must work, else they'd not be | | | | Copyright 2007 Voyle A. |
| coming back again and again. Busch came back. So | | | | |