SueAnn Porter

I flipped through the TV channels this morning. Like a train wreck–when you can’t make yourself look away–were Jerry Springer’s guests, two sisters who were fist fighting. The audience cheered like it was a football game.

I’m old enough to know that 1) Mature people don’t live like that and 2) They might be actors and not real situations.

But I couldn’t help think–what about the kids watching? A kid might be home from school sick, watching this insanity and thinking this is “normal.”

Drama seems to be the on the TV menu during the daytime hours. Maury Povich has a “who’s your daddy” kind of show, where women say that Mr. X is the father of the baby. After the DNA test tells us that he’s not the father, she confesses it might be two or three other guys. There are usually all variations of ex-lovers, secondary lovers, brothers and friends swapping who they sleep with. Everyone yells and screams at each other.  Again, kids are watching this and thinking this is normal.

I realize Jerry and Maury (and tons of others) are laughing all the way to the bank. But what is this teaching the next generation?!

I flipped around the dial, watched a bit of the movie, “Judgement at Nuremberg” (at least it has some historical relevance)  and then flipped the TV OFF.

I worry about what the TV is doing to the young generation.

If there is no sense of right and wrong….where does it end?