Evaluating ourselves regarding violence and murder

In a time and place where violence and murder seems prevalent in Philadelphia, Pa. and abroad, where do we stand and what do we say to children? When do we take a stand and not except any more of it in our families and lives? Are we just accepting it as a normal existence because it's in the news, in the movies and on tv? Do we still have any compassion, or a general state of consciousness of our state of mind in an altered state? That being said, let's examine that.

I grew up loving war films and gun battles in films. As I grew older and became more aware of myself and my feelings regarding life, and I still enjoyed those kind of films. So I guess at a young age, I became desensitized regarding murder on television. Then came the documentaries of WW1 and WW2 then the Vietnam war. I became enamored by the visual display of bombs bursting in mid air, flame throwers and twisted bodies of flesh. At the end of such a display of overkill, I believe it extinguished my thirst for something I may have wanted to see up close and personal. I never excercised any of what I saw being displayed on television or the movies. Fast forward to the new millenia, an age of "shoot em up movies", and the easy availability of firearms, simulated games by playstation and x-box that can teach one how to execute a objective. I grew up loving war films and gun battles in films. As I grew older and became more aware of myself and my feelings regarding life, and I still enjoyed those kind of films. So I guess at a young age, I became desensitized regarding murder on television. Then came the documentaries of WW1 and WW2 then the Vietnam war. I became enamored by the visual display of bombs bursting in mid air, flame throwers and twisted bodies of flesh. At the end of such a display of overkill, I believe it extinguished my thirst for something I may have wanted to see up close and personal. I never excercised any of what I saw being displayed on television or the movies. Fast forward to the new millenia, an age of "shoot em up movies", and the easy availability of firearms, simulated games by playstation and x-box that can teach one how to execute a objective. In a age that we have seen continuing wars with the absence of the parents/parent, the PS2 is keeping our children occupied in an era with education at an all time low, we need the children to become aware of the morals that should have been instilled in them. But how? Yes they have removed your right as a parent to scold your children as needed but take away those games, make them excercise or study. Yes, it has affected our outlook, and at a time when both parents may have to work two jobs just to pay the gas bill we have to remember why we are working so hard. Not for games and the best cell phone but to learn to co-exist with the other 56 nationalities and to get smarter and stronger. Even if a parent returns home exhausted from work, and have no time for homework with the kids some days, we sure can't let the babysitter (ps2) watch them. Now you've become on edge and feel yourself pushing your child away to others that are living the so called "vida loca". We have to take a step back and reexamine what was instilled in us from our parentsand what we remember of how they did it. Yes, there were drugs and there was a hard time finding work, but they still found the time to grab that child from next door when they caught then behaving mischievously and take them to their parents. The fact of the matter is most parents believe in doing the right thing just as kids do, but when parents rely on zoloft, and children have ritalin, everyone seems to be in an altered state. By us all forgetting that we are having a hard time with the economy, we tend to be short tempered. Add in food prices soaring, how is it we will find enough extra money to buy a new game for our children? Now, how about our feelings and when did we loose them? I'll tell you when. When we became afraid of going to jail for spanking our children and being the "not cool" parent. I try and get the pulse of the children of this new age. I tell them to have care about other peoples feelings and try to achieve something that they thought they couldn't. I tell them to think of an invention or something they can improve on to make it better. To believe in something that is a higher power which will propel them to higher level in sense and awareness. To take the time to learn how to articulate their feelings.I have learned that most people get into fights and dissagreements because they lack the skills to do just that. They speak of horrid things in schools and are trying to get the next ipod and cell phone gizmo so they too can be "cool". Has anyone had the chance to see new "Grand theft auto IV" demo? Where do these kids get these ideas from, huh??? Couldn't be adults, right? Every day the news covers more soldiers having been killed, another high school or college shooting, and the next movie trailer about someone being fed up for some reason and can't take it anymore so now "it's pay back time". Our children are fed up also, and guess what, "it's pay back time".