A Stereotype
to be the media’s fault or that it was the parents fault. It seems so surreal when I think about someone going out and committing these acts of hatred. The same question continues to run through my head, “Why or how could a human do this?”
What is the media? The media is any company or organization that in one way or another is trying to sell something to the public. It is a well-known fact that the media is always exposing children to things they may not have learned at home. These are often of a sexual or violent nature. When a hate crime is committed, a lot of times their will be an argument or debate over what brought that person to commit such an heinous act.
One excuse used, and most commonly used by the victim’s parents or relatives, is that what their child did was all because of what he or she saw on television or a movie, or what he or she heard on the radio. Because of all the violent and sexual nature found outside of households today, it makes the media an easy scapegoat.
The second most common excuse is placing all the blame on the parents. This is the one I stand behind the most. A parent should be held responsible for their child’s actions. It is so easy to say your child is troubled because of the media; the movies they watch and the music they listen to.
Who you are, how you act, and what you do, stem’s from how you were raised. Your parents, the people you’ve grown up around, the environment you were raised in, this is what makes you you. Think about this: Do you ever question your own bias and prejudice? How would you feel if someone of another race or ethnic pointed out ways in which your attitude and behavior may be insensitive? Do you ever notice character stereotyping in TV, music or movies that is based on race?
Why are all these fingers pointed at the media, at movies packed to the brim with violence, music filled with lyrics of hate and crime? Simply because no one in this day of age is willing to take any sort of responsibility. When I say this I refer to ever child’s biggest influence in their life, their parents.
In a country founded on the notion of religious freedom, it is just amazing how many children are raised believing that there is something wrong with anyone who isn’t of their religion, race or sexuality. If more people in this country want to actually change their lives for the better they must be aware of their own attitudes and behavior towards those of a different race, religion and sex. They must be willing to take unpopular stands to support the rights of all people, not just people in the groups they belong to.
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