Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
August 26, 2013
MTV and Miley Cyrus are perhaps two of the last subjects
I would deign to address, but such obscenity bordering on an X-Rated display
demand the cries of ENOUGH, this is inappropriate for public viewing.
The 20-year-old Cyrus, in attempt to resuscitate a
fledgling pop-acting career literally put it all out there for the entire world
to see at the MTV Video Music Awards program Sunday, August 25.
In a depraved spectacle, Cyrus, formerly the popular teen
portraying the fictional Hannah Montana, attempting to separate herself from
that character, succeeded by stripping down to a nude bikini and writhing
around the stage as though suffering from some sort of seizure, complete with
tongue hanging out. Short of giving an actual lap dance, and missing just the
pole, Cyrus looked and acted like a low-rent stripper.
Now before those who support the right of strippers to
perform in clubs as a legal manner in which to earn a living call for my
flogging, I do not begrudge them their right of free trade and labor, although
I do not approve of their career choice, nor do I think demonstrations of their
trade is appropriate prime time television viewing for children.
Part two of the Cyrus sleaze-fest involved props, both
human and inanimate. Cyrus donned a giant foam finger – the kind found at
sporting events, and continued her gyrations this time with said foam finger
sliding back and forth between her legs in some carnal erotica.
As if that scene were not bad enough, what occurred next should
have been enough for any censor with the FCC to pull the plug, go to
commercial, or show an old fashioned test pattern. Robin Thicke took to the
stage singing as Cyrus backed up to him then bent over grinding on him – her tuchus
to his crotch, followed by Cyrus rubbing the foam finger up and down on Thicke’s
genitalia.
Thicke’s mother, singer-actress Gloria Loring said “I was not
expecting her to be putting her butt that close to my son. The problem is now I
can never unsee it.”
This was the scene as presented Monday morning by
virtually any news station or morning talk show – something that could be seen
by parents and children alike as they were getting ready for work and school,
had they had the good fortune to miss the debauchery on MTV the night before.
This is what passes for entertainment these days – no moral
filter, no sense of shame or embarrassment. Coupled with the rampant amount of video
games depicting heinous violence and slaughter, these images desensitize
children who think them alright to watch or partake. It is incumbent upon
parents to supervise their children and guide them toward making age
appropriate and content appropriate choices regarding television, movies,
radio, music, books and other literature, as well as social media.
For those who laugh Cyrus’ antics off and dismiss them as
no big deal, it is a big deal. While this is not Obamacare, the economy,
unemployment, illegal immigration, or the failing educational system, Miley
Cyrus has a following of young people who idolize and wish to emulate her. Cyrus’
behavior is an anathema and demonstrative of what is wrong with society.
Ignoring it is akin to tacit acceptance. It is analogous to former New York
City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s borrowed broken windows theory.
“James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling’s ‘Broken Windows’
theory of crime-fighting convinced me that paying attention to ‘minor’
infractions like aggressive panhandling, graffiti, and turnstile-jumping would
greatly reduce all crime, including major felonies.” (Giuliani, Rudolph W. Leadership, xiii, 2002)
In order to cure the systemic ills of society, it is
vital to rid the airwaves of pervasive smut like Cyrus’ exposition as well as
videos of a similar ilk, as well as music with offensive language. Teachers and
school administrators must play their parts by not allowing such materials to
be disseminated in their midst and not permitting the coarse language ubiquitous
in teens’ vocabulary to be accepted as commonplace.
Parents must parent their children and not try to
befriend their children. Monitor their choices and restrict them if necessary,
in spite of protestations that their friends’ parents allow this or that. Be
the parents. Do not expect government to do it for you. Government is already
too permissive by allowing welfare checks to replace fathers in far too many
homes, thanks to Lyndon Johnson’s so called Great Society, which clearly failed,
leaving too many broken homes, and too many unsupervised children, who in many
cases have gone on to terrorize decent society. Just read the news headlines of
recent weeks for proof of the carnage scattered across the American landscape.
Sanford D. Horn is
a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
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