Talkin' 'bout My Generation...

I've often heard that today's generation is going to "hell in a handbasket." I look at my own two kids and I cry bullshit! You can't judge today's kids by the standards we grew up with. It's a different world than I grew up in. My childhood was different than the one my parents grew up in. The same goes for their parents and so on, and so on.

I know we used to head out doors after breakfast and stay gone till the street lights came on, but they didn't have that luxary. By the time they got old enough to do such a thing, we were afraid of child kidnappers and perverts and kept them close to us. Are there really more perverts and child molesters in the world today, or do we just hear more about it thanks to the 24 hour news programs that we have access to? I'm not sure of the answer, but I do know we are more afraid of it than our parents were.

Today's kids don't have any respect or manners. I don't know about anyone elses, but mine do. I taught them. They're respectful to elderly, open doors for ladies and don't go out of their way looking for trouble. These are learned behaviors. That means you have to teach it to them. Spoiled, selfish parents make spoiled, selfish kids. The "me generation" had made "me" children who could care less about anyone but themselves.

Look at today's TV shows. To most of us, it's full of viloence and sex. There are more of both, but it's not our kids asking for it. It's us allowing it to happen. I remember the shock that was caused when The Brady Bunch showed the mother and father sleeping in the same bed, or when Capt Kirk kissed a black woman, or even when Archie Bunker told Edith to "shut the HELL up." My grandparents were sure we were going "to hell in a handbasket" back then.

The music of today is a far cry from the music I listened to. I can remember my parents wondering why we'd want to listen to such trash. My music, after the age of twelve, was KISS, Def Lepard and Van Halen. My parents hated it, but their parents didn't understand and hated Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bettles. I hear it's all about the bad lyrics in today's music, but what about Conway Twitty singing, how he wants to "Lay you down," or how he "knew you've never been this far before." You can't deny the sexual overtones to those two songs. But I guess because it was wrapped in a "country music" package, it was OK.

My old pastor had a saying. He said "The sin that once slunk down back alleys now struts down main street." I can't think of a truer saying. Over the years we've allowed this to happen. If you don't like what's out there say something. Silence is your approval.

D.