No, thank you, said Cyrano

Submitted by Edward Cline (United States), Apr 17, 2012 at 19:07

I am fortunate enough to have grown up during the "Last Hurrah" of Western culture, spanning the 1950's and early 1960's, when Western values of individualism, heroism, independence, and rational moral values were largely shown on television, in movies, and even in comic books. My introduction to many of the classics of Western literature was through comic books (adulterated or abridged as many of the works were). The "Classics Illustrated" series especially sustained me until I moved on to the actual works. In these I was introduced to "The Red Badge of Courage," "The Time Machine," "The Man Who Laughs," "The Three Musketeers," "Tale of Two Cities" and so many more. On television, I could watch "The Lone Ranger," "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon," "Boots and Saddles," "Superman," and other series that romanticized Western, virtues, values and action. By the time I was a teenager, this phenomenon was beginning to fade from the culture. What sticks in my mind from that period are "The Avengers," "Secret Agent Man," and the original "Twilight Zone" and "Outer Limits."

What was missing from any of these comics or TV programs, however, was the element of indoctrination, overt or subliminal. This is what I observe in children's programming today. I think that if I were a child today, I would be a revolting creature who would refuse to submit to the government's mandated indoctrination in the school system, or I would blow up by the time I was thirteen or fourteen. "Self-esteem" nurturing and leftist propagandizing in our schools and the deliberate dumbing down of students are bad enough; now children are being brainwashed to whitewash Islam? "Sesame Street," a patronizing, "diversity"-heavy, government-subsidized children's "educational" program, is the gold standard of American indoctrination. I wouldn't have tolerated it. It has probably introduced a Muslim Muppet (who can't appear in the same installment with Miss Piggy – can you imagine CAIR's outrage if that happened?).

Hollywood has contributed to the bastardization of comic books, as well. That is, it depends on popular cultural figures that it is determined to render politically correct. I invite anyone to go online and see the trailers for "G.I. Joe," which is to be released in June.

Those early comic books contributed to my character development. What is being developed in children in today's comics and cartoon programming? What perverted sense of "tolerance" can be achieved with "The 99"? I shudder to think.

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