According to a study released in February 1996, violence on TV is sending the wrong message to our children, a message that says that they can get away with it. It might be an eye-opener for the politicians to realize that even a murderous gang of thieves can look upon itself as a family and share its own set of values. Principles, not values, Stephen Covey tells us are the issue. I hope that's the beginning of a trend, because film and television have a profound effect on our attitudes and behavior. We're inundated by violence, profanity, and all manner of uncivilized acts.
Social scientists have a plethora of explanations for the decline of civility.
In computerese there is a term, GIGO - garbage in, garbage out. It's time to edit our lives, to control the garbage going in and eliminate the garbage going out. And, I'm not talking about curtailing First Amendment Rights or book burning. Freedom of speech is a very important principle in this country, one that should be protected. But we're not harming free speech if we stop rewarding the Jeff Tarangos and Deion Sanders of the world for their bad behavior.