Not a Simple Call

May I preference this day's rant with the following: I view censorship with great caution and trepidation. I believe a truly 'free' society flourishes on individual freedoms of expressions and rights of consumption. Therein lies the critical need of a democracy's lifeline tethered to its free press...that fourth estate...the profession of journalism.

This nation has struggled greatly over the decades attempting to legislate consumption as the government flirts with establishing standards of behavior expectation; an approach doomed from the start. That government must figure out what behavior protects those individual rights of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" so long as one individuals searching of such rights doesn't hinder another's pursuit. When that occurs, we had to make laws.

It has not been so much of an attack on our rights that has impacted our nation changing behavior as much as those undefined behaviors that every society and culture establishes resulting from the group's collective attitudes of what is best for the order. Perhaps simply stated as that which is in good tastes. Those 'things' are defined as our folkways and mores. It is here that people attempt to extend the current limits of performance. They seek to push beyond the accepted boundaries.

It has become far too easy and incorrect to point fingers of blame for our changing morals due to the movie industry or contemporary music claiming its unfiltered productions. This nation has always depended upon three major societal institutions for a checks and balance of accepted behavior:
(1) The Home (Family), The Schools (Teachers) and (3) The Church. No one institution is to blame for failure but all share in our morality decline and we have declined.

Acknowledging the possibility to overgeneralize with simplistic answers and solutions, may I touch on a few observations. The family structure continues to break down as parents turned away from significant discipline choosing to soften things with the 'friendly time out.' Many parents confused their role as they choose to be their child's friend rather than parent. The school has acquiesced to the parents' discipline style fearing lack of administrative support. This became a cocktail for a compromised learning environment, which led to academic dumbing-down and social promotion. The third institution, The Church can only survive if its value is embraced by the family while children are in those formative adolescent years.

In our society bigger and more is embraced as being better. It is noble for parents to wish to 'give a good life' to their children but they can run the risk of creating an enabling life for the child. I recall  when senior high school trips were to Washington D.C or New York. Today, we must send the senior  class to Aruba. I remember when the bachelor party was a one night affair of goofy and borderline  stupid behavior; today it must be a weekend drunk. As is the bride and her wedding maids.

Let's be honest, the pendulum never swings all the way back...be aware.