Americans Must Give Up TV Violence For the Kids, Or Else
To the unsuspecting eye, this nation's response and reaction to the rise
in number of violent acts committed by teenagers could be described as
appropriately overwhelming, but when examined more closely, does America
really care? When examined in a general sense, violence has declined overall
in the US but has risen among teens (Hunt 651). Who is to blame and how
are we trying to prevent youth crime and teen promiscuity? A New York
Times poll in 1995 reported only 21 percent of those who were surveyed
actually put the blame on television (Hirschorn 643). Both those who cite TV
and popular music as the source of teen aggression and those who disagree
have reasons to do so. There is valid proof behind both points of view but I
firmly believe there is a direct cause/effect relationship between what children
view on TV and how they act in the real world. Research, which I will
discuss, conducted in both England and the US proves to me beyond
reasonable doubt that violent television programs either directly or indirectly
effect children and I think the government should take a more active role in
youth crime prevention.
Though some of the evidence that supports my beliefs has been viewed
as circumstantial, it is too valuable to be ignored. Brandon Centerwall, a
professor at the University of Washington, summarized some of the evidence
in an article in the Spring 1993 issue of The Public Interest. His research
findings focused on instances circa 1975 when television was introduced to
rural Canadian and South African communities. In both countries, there was
a significantly noticeable increase in violent crime committed by the young
(Kristol 641). "Professor Centerwall also notes that when TV was introduced
in the United States after World War II, the homicide rated among whites,
who were the first to buy sets, began to rise, while the black homicide rate
didn't show any such... [continues]
To the unsuspecting eye, this nation's response and reaction to the rise
in number of violent acts committed by teenagers could be described as
appropriately overwhelming, but when examined more closely, does America
really care? When examined in a general sense, violence has declined overall
in the US but has risen among teens (Hunt 651). Who is to blame and how
are we trying to prevent youth crime and teen promiscuity? A New York
Times poll in 1995 reported only 21 percent of those who were surveyed
actually put the blame on television (Hirschorn 643). Both those who cite TV
and popular music as the source of teen aggression and those who disagree
have reasons to do so. There is valid proof behind both points of view but I
firmly believe there is a direct cause/effect relationship between what children
view on TV and how they act in the real world. Research, which I will
discuss, conducted in both England and the US proves to me beyond
reasonable doubt that violent television programs either directly or indirectly
effect children and I think the government should take a more active role in
youth crime prevention.
Though some of the evidence that supports my beliefs has been viewed
as circumstantial, it is too valuable to be ignored. Brandon Centerwall, a
professor at the University of Washington, summarized some of the evidence
in an article in the Spring 1993 issue of The Public Interest. His research
findings focused on instances circa 1975 when television was introduced to
rural Canadian and South African communities. In both countries, there was
a significantly noticeable increase in violent crime committed by the young
(Kristol 641). "Professor Centerwall also notes that when TV was introduced
in the United States after World War II, the homicide rated among whites,
who were the first to buy sets, began to rise, while the black homicide rate
didn't show any such... [continues]
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