So what negative effects can an adult cartoon have on children? In 1993, a 5-year-old boy burned down the trailer he was living in, killing his 2-year-old sister. His mother, who was not home, blames MTV's fire-loving Beavis and Butt-head cartoon characters. In another case, a fire chief cited "Beavis and Butt-head" as the reason three young girls started a fire (Cava, par 8). It is obvious that children are imitating what they are seeing. The answer should be simple, "remove the adult cartoons, and the problem would stop". Yet, after a recent school bombing by two fellow students, which killed at least 15 people, one has to question at what point the parents are to blame (LaMotte and Savidge par 1).

While the parents point the finger at c

artoons, defenders of these animated anarchists will point the finger back at the parents. Just because something is on television, does not mean that is should be watched by everyone. The parents should monitor their child's viewing habits, and take the time to help them understand . Even if the content is not appropriate, a child should not be watching if they can not determine the difference between right and wrong. Cedric Veilleuxx says that children should not be allowed to watch television after 11pm.

If parents would take the time to educate their children, the amount of violent and malicious acts would greatly decrease. Television programming has always been of some violent nature, through cartoons, the news, wrestling or fighting shows, and it shows no sign of stopping. The difference between reality and fiction can be taught at home. Maybe, if the mother of the 5-year old had been more attentive, she would not have lost her daughter. Maybe if the parents of the two boys involved in the Littleton Massacre had taken that extra minute to talk to their kids, countless lives could have been saved. Kid's are very smart these days, and it is easy to assume they know right from wrong. If parents would take the time with their children, to educate them, to tell them that "Beavis" or "Kenny" is not real, then maybe a difference can be made.

While most parents feel that

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