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.