Essay, Research Paper: Censorship

The negative messages kids receive via the media have a damaging affect on their psyche and can create
serious societal problems. In truth "[t]he violence to which American children are exposed in the name of
entertainment is affecting their values and behavior, according to a recent statement from four of the
nation's top medical associations+(Davis). What are the examples of this fact? We have witnessed a
plethora of shootings by high school students over the past few years. Just two weeks ago in Glendale,
Arizona, a middle-school student held his teacher and several of his classmates hostage, using a gun as
his weapon. More than likely, the portrayal of violent behavior in the media has given him the message
that the way to resolve a conflict is through aggression. In fact "+the link between violent media and
violent behavior is stronger than that between ingesting lead and having a lower IQ, than that between
passive smoking and lung cancer, than that between failing to use condoms and getting HIV (Davis).
What a powerful analogy! This comparison clearly illustrates that violent media can lead to an epidemic
health problem.