Is The Lack of Character Building Education The Reason Violence Happens?
There is a certain amusement to the media, a quasi return to Vaudevillian entertainment. Two cases illustrate this perfectly and highlight the critical need to protect and guide our own children instilling strong values and filtering the nonsensical environment we live in.
On April 15, during the Boston Marathon, two terrorists detonated homemade bombs horribly marring hundreds of people and killing three. There vile actions led to a focused manhunt and resulted in a shootout. One suspect was killed during the shootout, the other eventually wounded and taken into custody. While these actions are understood to be reprehensible and evil it is the reactions and behaviors of the parents that are truly remarkable. Driven by an insane need to demonize the American response and reaction the Bombing, the parents have insisted their children are innocent (one survived the shootout and is now recovering), were brainwashed, or were targeted by the FBI.
It is clear the parents of the Bombing suspects failed their children. They failed to teach their children basic respect for life. Instead these parents opted for the cowardly approach of shifting attention and focus elsewhere, anywhere but at themselves.
Character education must begin with an honest look at one’s self and the recognition of shortcomings that need to be addressed. Without taking responsibility for one’s own actions the result is selfish people of this nature bent on the destruction of neighbors and those around them. People of this caliber are not safe and foster violence sue to their unpredictability and irrational behavior.
Irrational behavior is a vulgar and shocking way of life for the parishioners of the Westboro Baptist Church. Filled almost exclusively by the Phelps family, the WestboroBaptistChurch is a shouting example of what every Christian, every religious person, every person of rational thought should not become. The Phelps family are notorious for their picketing of soldier’s funerals and other prominent and tragic events proudly claiming to have picketed over 50,000 events since 1991. Their message is a horrible proclamation of God’s judgments on the Earth due to homosexuality and other rebellious acts.
These two families represent an absolute failure of parenting and have enjoyed a cowardly approach to raising their children. Parental influence on their children is obvious. The Westboro family defies common sense and immerses themselves in emotionally corrosive behavior. The parents of the Boston Bombing suspects are quick to promote the innocence of their children by labeling the response of law enforcement as evil. They take no responsibilities for their actions.
These are extreme examples of a family’s stubborn unwillingness to educate their children with appropriate character traits. Appropriate is a subjective word, that much is understood. What is not understood is any argument that is contrary to the effectiveness service and responsibility have in developing character and people of value, willing and capable leaders.
For parents it ultimately comes down to choice. As a parent do you dodge responsibility and paint your child a victim of an oppressive and tyrannical government despite the trauma they have inflicted or do you raise children with values that better not only themselves but society as a whole? Do you revel in the sewage and pollution of vitriol and corrosion that is WestboroBaptistChurch or do you raise your child to frame their opposition with respect and effectiveness? As a parent do you leave a gift of worth found in an effectively raised child or do you allow yourself to be a mockery like the parents of the Boston City Bombings or the WestboroBaptistChurch? These are the decisions parents face. These are the consequences of raising children without appropriate character and values. The question stands: as a parent what choice will you make?
Creator of the Children’s Book Series Traveling Bear Christian Hainsworth says, “Children learn most of their lifelong behaviors and beliefs between the ages of 3-8. This makes character building an absolutely ESSENTIAL part of raising children to instill core values like: Responsibility for self, having a positive attitude, and learning to work with others.”
Winning Kids Inc, proudly produces the Traveling Bear™ series of children’s books, audio CD’s and video DVD’s. This wonderful 14 part storybook series is a fun and exciting tool developed to instill positive values, winning attitudes and leadership qualities in children. You can find this wonderful series available in both English & Spanish at Amazons Audible, YouTube, or by Contacting Us atWinningKidsInc@gmail.com.
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