Children learn that violence is an appropriate response to problems from the time that they begin watching cartoons. This message gets reinforced each time they watch a television program or movie where violence is the response used to deal with the problem at hand. Violence becomes child's play, and our children become desensitized to the tragic consequences of violence. In his comments to the people of Littleton, President Clinton stressed the importance of teaching children to resolve conflicts without violence and anger. However, this message came from the same president who authorized U.S. participation in NATO bombardments of Serbia and prior bombings of Iraq, Afghanistan and the Sudan.
Violence is a standard component of U.S. foreign policy.
Within our borders, state sanctioned killing in the form of the death penalty reinforces the message that violence is an acceptable means of punishment. Our culture's addiction to violence is shown in our reliance on weapons. The U.S. is the world's largest exporter of arms. Within our borders, 3.5 million new guns have been introduced to the U.S. market since 1989. In 1995, total deaths due to firearms in the U.S. was the third highest in the world, after Brazil and Jamaica.