Kids at movies: Sex is bad but violence is fine?
Ex-movie theater manager speaks out
Re. “A 12-year-old is braver than this big chicken, wimp and scaredy cat,” Oct. 5: This column describes one of the reasons I ‘retired’ from my position as an assistant manager of a local theater owned by an international company.
I often was involved with ticket sales or enforcing the industry’s self-imposed rules on movie-admission-based-on-age. Somehow, to many parents, gore and scenes of violence were “OK” for their children, because “they’ve seen that kind of stuff in movies at home.” Same for language-based restrictions. However, when it came to nudity, that was a no-no from which they would ban their children.
I recognize my quitting is merely symbolic, and that other managers face irate “adults” who can’t understand why their 5-year-old can’t be admitted to the latest R-rated slasher/horror film. I couldn’t, in good conscience, continue to give at least tacit approval to their actions, just to pad the corporate bottom line. I honestly feel continued exposure to such material contributes to a de-sensitizing of compassionate feeling and/or respect for others’ lives. DALE ROBBINS, PIQUA
What to try with North Korea
Joseph Stalin said in 1948 that the United States must now show respect for Russia because Russia also had atomic weapons. Iran and North Korea have tried to gain the same kind of negative respect by attempting to develop their own weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. and the U.N. thwarted Iran’s efforts to do that by imposing economic sanctions that caused great harm to Iranians.
Perhaps the opposite approach should be taken with North Korea. They are an extremely poor country with many on the edge of starvation. Perhaps with assurance that they have destroyed their atomic weapons and longrange missiles, the U.S. and other countries could offer economic incentives that will raise their standard of living close to that of South Korea. CHARLES L. SCOTT, DAYTON
Why not just buy up everything?
Re. “Middletown to purchase problem bar, demolish it,” Sept. 5: I read with great interest the buying of the Bar Boca. What else could that $35,000 been used for? Its owner profited from the city and poor management, in having a bar that was a nuisance.
Wow. Let’s just buy all the nuisances, close them and tear them down. The same non-logic can be applied to drug houses. We can’t catch them, prosecute, so let’s just buy it and tear it down. RON SLATTON, MIDDLETOWN
‘Taking a knee’ is disrespectful
Re. “Archdeacon: Bengals players weigh in on recent anthem protests,” Oct. 1: No matter how one words it, taking a knee during the national anthem is a disrespect to our country and our flag.
There are many of us who have served our cause to bring peace to the world and protect America. When we see these guys sticking their middle fingers up at us you can understand why we feel disgust. They are giving their middle finger to America. That’s worse than when the Danes spit on me walking down the street in uniform in Copenhagen. TERRENCE TUCKER, CENTERVILLE