From: Andrew Rhodes, President, Parents For Education, Not Legislation
In a few days, the American Library Association kicks off its annual "Banned Books Week". This event celebrates the Freedom to Read and informs citizens of efforts by various individuals, organizations, and political entities to deny citizens those Freedoms.
The ALA focuses primarily on books that have been banned and encourages citizens to stand up for their Rights to have access to such media. But, in addition to the written media of books, other forms of media also face censorship, banning, or other forms of control or limitation to access or creation of said media.
Decades ago, legislation was enacted in various states and even at the Federal level which, supposedly, was to "Protect The Children" from various forms of harm. Legislation such as "Community Standards" and "Public Nuisance" laws were enacted, initially, to regulate the sale or rental of various "adult" material to minors. At the time, the material being regulated was clearly defined in description and claims were made that such legislation would not be misused by expanding to other content, in effect circumventing the First Amendment.
In the end, however, those laws, either directly or even just the threat of calling down their heavy hand, have been used to justify not only the censorship, banning, or manipulation of book sales or even the existence of books in libraries, but other forms of media as well. From TV shows and movies, to music, to video/computer games, to even what can be spoken in news stories or editorials.
Many have used the argument of "Protect The Children" to justify pushing one's own personal, religious, and/or political ideals upon others. Many individuals, organizations, and/or political entities feel that their own personal, religious, and/or political ideals are superior and "morally correct" over everyone else's to the point where those ideals MUST be required of every individual and/or Parent.
We of PFENL believe that Parents and non-Parents alike should have the Freedom To Choose what is or is not appropriate for themselves or their own children, even if someone else finds the same material inappropriate for themselves or their own children.
We encourage those of you who are knowledgeable to share with those who are not as well informed the existing resources to make informed decisions about various products, from books to video games to movies and other forms of media. There are plenty of resources out there for us to obtain enough information to make our own well informed decisions about everything. From the media we expose ourselves to, to the foods we eat, to the insurance we choose, to the jobs we seek, and more. As well informed individuals and Parents, we would always welcome opinion and insight, but none of us who are truly intelligent and well informed require others to make the decision for us.
There are many who oppose various media for a variety of reasons and provide false and misleading information. We ask that, even should you be harried and have little time for a long drawn out research of any particular product, that you do seek multiple sources of information. We have seen many times individuals and organizations that would outright lie to citizens and even to the government to dictate their beliefs upon others. We ask that you take the time to research properly as you would any other aspect of your life.
"Banned books Week" runs from September 27, 2008 - October 4, 2008. You can obtain more information on the event from:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.cfm
The ALA will certainly make further announcements about their own specific event. But as you observe the events of this important week, we hope that you will also consider the myriad of other forms of media that also face censorship, banning, and/or manipulation. Protect your Individual Rights as well as your Parental Rights.
Andrew Rhodes, President, Parents For Education, Not Legislation
23Sep2008
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Background: Over the last year and a half, a company called Rockstar has been developing an entertainment game called Bully. The game contained a set storyline which a player must follow. This game has sparked controversy during it’s development. Critics make claim that the mere existence of a game which uses a fictional storyline set in an “alternative school” and involving characters of less than reputable standards will affect younger players and encourage real world misbehavior of a variety of types, commonly referred to as bullying.
While the discussion rages on, several individuals, using textbook information, seek to create what is described as an educational tool to discourage bullying in and out of the school setting. Though the authors of that proposed tool admit that not all situations will fit in their examples, they still set forth to offer textbook examples as well as textbook solutions for a “player” of the game to choose from. They expect the game to encourage empathy for the fictional characters as well as offer solutions that may not even be available to the “player” in the real world. While this may work in a few cases, the overall majority of bullying victims may not associate themselves with the characters in the game. This will limit the usefulness of said game.
Bullying, itself, is merely another form of abuse. Abuse usually takes the form of verbal, mental, physical, or sexual assault by one or more individuals against one or more individuals. Abuse can be committed by a family member, people in one’s neighborhood, at one’s place of business, or even in school. Usually, when the abuse takes place in school, it is more commonly referred to as bullying. But it is, in fact, abuse just as abuse can occur anywhere else.
Summary: For the purpose of this software, Abuse includes all locations and all possible attackers and most methods. Due to the extreme nature of sexual abuse, limitations on what is possible to depict must be put into place. But the software will give the user the possibility of alternative referencing methods, as noted in the expanded proposal.
This software package will be designed around a “movie studio” style use. Rather than giving the participant (now used instead of “player”) several set situations which may or may not be similar to the participant’s own situation, the participant will be able to build and play back nearly any situation they can conceive. Once the situation has been shown, the author of the situation may then continue with a version of the situation based on what they are FEELING could happen. This can be a rather brutal display. And taken out of context, could be misunderstood. However, the purpose for this display is to show other people what the author is FEELING is their only option. Or they may come up with several results, all still possibly brutal. They may FEEL suicidal. They may FEEL angry and vengeful. They may FEEL violent. But what should also be seen and understood is WHY the author thinks these are the options available to them. Do they FEEL no one cares? Do they FEEL ignored? The third set of endings to the initial situation is for the author to show what they WANT to happen or think SHOULD happen. It may seem that such endings can’t happen, and maybe won’t, but it’s important for the author to show they know there SHOULD be an alternative, even if they feel it won’t happen. With appropriate discussion afterwards, the chance of what they WANT to happen could increase.
This tool may also allow less verbal students to open up to others, parents, friends, teachers, etc. It could also open the eyes of some teachers, parents, and authority figures who may not realize that a child is feeling all that secure in their environment.
Either one software package is created with two major levels of detail so that the youngest child can create with little difficulty while an older child can use a more detailed version, or two separate packages are created for each age group.
This software may be used by adults as well for describing abuse against them or to describe suggested abuse events to educate adults and children and open up discussion.
Design:
(1) The author first decides where an abuse situation takes place: Home, Playground, Outside Neighborhood, Park, School, Place Of Business, Church, other. These locations are generic, especially for younger children but may be adjustable in some fashion by older children. Both indoor and outdoor environments are 3D generated.
(2) The author then chooses characters that are displayed. This could be siblings in a home and a parent somewhere in the home as well, or a number of students plus teachers in a school, or other character types, including clergy, law enforcement, or other possible characters.. The characters come in a variety of design and facial features can change to display facial emotions. Posing the characters is also possible to display action or even reflect body language.
(3) The author places the characters at their starting positions. They also make certain the starting poses and facial features are set.
(4) The author next places speech, thought, and emotion bubbles, complete with appropriate text, for the first frame. For younger children, it may be best to go with a “comic book” style frame by frame rather than a “moving picture” design.
(5) The author then sets the characters to the next frame (possibly assuming a 1-5 second jump between the previous frame and the next) and sets bubbles for the next image. For the advanced version, the system should automatically move the character(s) from the previous frame to the current one so the author doesn’t have to focus on the small details. Simple commands such as walking and standing should be handled easily by the software. In this way, the author can focus more on the situation being put down than in the design itself.
(6) The author continues frame by frame until the situation is completed.
(7) The author can then play back the event frame by frame by clicking the mouse to move to the next frame.
(8 ) Depending on how the software is used, the author may go ahead and proceed to phase 2, which is where the author depicts what they FEEL may occur based on their own feelings and the situation as it stands and other factors that they take into consideration for themselves. Again, this may be a brutal telling and should not be taken out of context as it says a lot about the individual author and their feelings about the situation. This phase proceeds in design the same as the first phase.
(9) Again, depending on how the software is used, the author may proceed with the third phase. This phase depicts what the author WANTS to happen. To them, it may be unrealistic but is their view of what a true optimal outcome may actually be. Or it may not even be optimal but an acceptable outcome. This may depict a fair settlement in their eyes without taking drastic action. The design is handled in the same manner as the other two phases.
(10)Accessories may also be used in each of the phases to depict weapons or other used material to tell the story in each of the phases.
(11)Discussions at any point while showing the different phases is helpful to children and adults alike. Even adults may learn about how children view them as well as themselves. Multiple endings in both phase 2 and 3 offer even greater discussion. And adults who create their own examples of abuse in each of the phases can be played back to children and other adults for discussion about these issues.
Sexual abuse: This is a difficult topic to deal with. While modesty can close doors of discussion, there are some things that even adults don’t want discussed. Offering a “blank” frame for these situations along with bubbles for children to bring up the issue is one way to keep the situation description open without providing information which some parents may find inappropriate. This type of abuse occurs, it’s as serious a form of abuse as any other, and it shouldn’t be left out.
This proposal is a rough draft and changes/additions are still possible to a large degree.
nightwing2000
