Violent influences

The Jan. 15 article “TV execs ponder violence in media” touched upon the basic reason why our culture has become so violent.

The young man who committed such a horrendous act in Newtown, Conn., in December might have had a mental condition that was not caused by his surroundings, but very likely he was influenced by the violence he saw on television, in movies, in comics, on the Internet and by those video games that fascinate our young people so much. There are also many situations across our nation in which people who do not have mental problems respond in similar ways and commit violence on an individual rather than on a group. This does not make the national news, but loss of that individual life is just as tragic to their loved ones.

Unfortunately, our society teaches us that violence should be our first response to anything that disturbs us. As long as we are entertained and allow our children to be entertained by violence in the media, we will suffer the consequences. We are influenced by what we see, hear and experience – it shapes our attitudes and personalities and how we respond to those whom we feel have mistreated us.

Luther J. Davis Jr.

Washington