Moving On: Are We Teaching Our Kids To Be Fearful of Men?
Jeffrey Zaslow. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Aug 23, 2007. pg. D.1
When children get lost in a mall, they're supposed to find a "low- risk adult" to help them. Guidelines issued by police departments and child-safety groups often encourage them to look for "a pregnant woman," "a mother pushing a stroller" or "a grandmother."
People assume that all men "have the potential for violence and sexual aggressiveness," says Peter Stearns, a George Mason University professor who studies fear and anxiety. Kids end up viewing every male stranger "as a potential evildoer," he says, and as a byproduct, "there's an overconfidence in female virtues."
TV shows, including the Dateline NBC series "To Catch a Predator," hype stories about male abusers. Now social-service agencies are also using controversial tactics to spread the word about abuse. This summer, Virginia's Department of Health mounted an ad campaign for its sex-abuse hotline. Billboards featured photos of a man holding a child's hand. The caption: "It doesn't feel right when I see them together."
So, as the article notes: The implied message: Men, even dads pushing strollers, are "high-risk." "Very sad" doesn't begin to cover it. What are your thoughts? Anyone wanting the whole article, please let me know.
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On a much lighter note, Jaquandor tagged me with 7 Things, but added a twist; one of these is false. Which one?
1. I had a nosebleed so bad that I was hospitalized.
2. I enjoy sushi.
3. I've talked with a Supreme Court justice.
4. I was terrible as a percussionist in my junior high school orchestra.
5. One of my favorite books is "Growing Up" by Russell Baker.
6. I'm cited in two books.
7. I've never read, never even started, the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
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 | My Fortune Cookie told me: You will risk becoming eternally dependent upon misguided bishops. Get a cookie from Miss Fortune |
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Amazon has on sale a Mel Brooks box set. It features one of my favorite films of all time, Young Frankenstein, and one of my least favorite movies of all time, History of the World, Part 1.
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I own only about a half dozen Lyle Lovett albums. He has a new one, which he describes here.
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I thought there were only eight candidates running for the Democratic nomination for President. I was wrong.
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Oh, yeah: according to my previous poll question, 13 of you have already seen the Simpsons movie, 3 will in theaters, 3 will on DVD.
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Albanians: listen to WMHT-FM (89.7) tomorrow, Sunday, Aug. 26 at 6:00 p.m. -- they are broadcasting Albany Pro Musica's 's March 2007 concert, "From Holocaust to Hope."
ROG
1 comment:
I have to admit that those guidelines are appealing as far as advice that I would give to me kids if they were lost in a mall. However, I certainly wouldn't want to teach my kids that all or even most men are not to be trusted.
I went to the Virginia Department of Health's website to look at the billboard you mentioned. It is very sad because that could very well be a picture of me holding my son's hand. As a result of this kind of campaign it very well could be that men will be under suspicion for any kind of public display of affection toward kids. Again this is sad.
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