Collegiate Times

America is driven by a culture of violence, drugs and sex. By the time children reach the end of elementary school, most of them will have seen thousands of examples of these three mature topics. 

This exposure can lead to problems later on down the road for children as they grow up and progress into adolescence and then adulthood. America plants the seed of violence, drugs, and especially sex early in the minds of its children. This must stop now. 

According to The Washington Post, three high school students were arrested during the first week of February on charges of production and distribution of child pornography. The three male students, the Post reports, were accused of getting teenage girls drunk and making sex tapes, sometimes after the girls had passed out.

This crime occurred at West Springfield High School in Northern Virginia, which is less than five minutes away from my house, making it even more shocking for me to imagine.

This type of behavior is beyond immature and should not be happening. However, the severity of this issue is often overshadowed by much larger problems around the country like the economy or national defense.

If America does not raise its children right, the future of our country is a dismal one. When an idea is placed in a child’s mind, it begins to grow and evolve. 

Their first experiences of sex, whether from a movie, television show or other public form of entertainment, should be contained, but it is hard in our modern society to find entertainment that doesn’t incorporate a form of violence, drug use or sex.

This creates a shallow thought process for our children. They only want quick and instant excitement, or else they will become bored and move on to another activity. 

As a society, our children will be growing up in a completely digital age. In our present time, 12 year olds receive cell phones, iPads, laptops and other items that just a few years ago were saved for older and more mature people. 

I remember that my 26-year-old sister did not receive her first cell phone until she was given her first car at age 17.  As a 19 year old, I can relate to the changing culture because my generation is one of the first ones that has grown up having a computer.

Just as using all the different features of a laptop comes natural to me, making child pornography could come just as natural to younger generations because they need to find a way to entertain themselves and attempt to fit into our sex-driven culture.        

If we all took up more of an interest in other topics that do not involve violence, drugs and sex, perhaps our future generations will be less shallow and more interested in thought-provoking ideas.

This change needs to happen now or else our society will crumble in the hands of a young teenager with a digital camera and a sex drive.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb 15 issue of the Collegiate Times.