From: Nancy Warren
Columbus
I suspect that many people, especially those in my age range, feel as I do about the number and extent of violent actions in our world today. We have witnessed and also lived a lot of life by the time we reach 80-90 years of age, and while not all of it has been "pretty," I am appalled at the amount and depth of the hatred that now seems to permeate the world.
Having come from an era where honesty and respect for others was instilled in us from birth, most are at a loss in trying to understand what currently seems to be a growing tolerance for lying and noxious expressions of disrespect for others. The effects of this tolerance is insidious in how it affects us and our world. While we may have been aghast, even horrified, by these openly expressed hate statements and disgusting behaviors when they first appeared in the media, we seem to have become almost accustomed to them. That is very close to acceptance, and that concerns me, and hopefully it concerns others.
I believe that it has been proven that when human beings are repeatedly and frequently exposed to behaviors like violence, hatred, lying, dishonesty and disrespect for others, we become desensitized to them. What formerly was viewed as disgusting and unacceptable behavior begins to be almost the norm. This is bad enough in its effect upon adults, but it is extremely damaging to children in their formative years. It could even be a precursor to violent behavior.
People should do all they can to help their children learn the importance of truth, honesty, respect and caring for others.
