Indifference to violence appals M.P.

Press, 8 May 1985, Page 24

Indifference to violence appals M.P.

PA Wellington The community was showing indifference to a constant stream of bizarre and disgusting violence screened as entertainment and education of children, a Labour member of Parliament has said.

Ms Fran Wilde (Wellington Central) said she was appalled by the indifference to so-called entertainment which relied purely on gratuitous displays of violence or sadistic sex.

What messages and lessons were children learning from those films, she asked in an address at a Victoria University graduation ceremony.

“From early in life they see repeatedly that the man in the white hat can shoot and kill with abandon, apparently not even suffering any personal emotional trauma for having taken another human life,” she said.

“They learn that violence is an acceptable form of self-expression and the police and detective dramas, and comedies, on television reinforce the fact that the so-called goodies can get away with virtually any behaviour,” Ms Wilde

said. As they got older the focus of attention in their viewing violence moved to include women and sex.

“I’m not suggesting that we return to the days of sweet and syrupy 1940 s and 1950 s style movies where it all ends at the bedroom door,” Ms Wilde said. “But I fail to see what freedom or good is being served — either the collective or individual good — by allowing a constant stream of bizarre and disgusting violence to be screened for the entertainment — and, inescapably, the education — of our children.”

It was not only unfair, but completely impracticable to ask individual families and parents to be in a position to always act effectively as censors.

Society did not expect the family unit to be able to provide total health care or education for children, there was a recognised community responsibility, she said. The debate about censorship must include an intelligent analysis of the myths which were enabling the argument over individual freedom to be applied falsely, Ms Wilde said.