Music and VMA's

So my husband and I did not watch the VMA's nor would we ever willingly sit through a show watching people who don't like each other giving each other false praise. I think one of the hardest aspects of being famous would be to put on that false smile and chit chat with people you despise, whether you despise them out of jealousy, their actions, or the fact that you're forced to pretend you like them in public. Even without watching the VMA's, I have not been able to avoid the onslaught of imagery from that night all over the internet. The filth is almost overwhelming. What surprises me even more is the media, Parent advisory board, and parents in general act shocked that performances such as Miley Cyrus's were allowed on TV. Have you never seen The Real World, 16 & Pregnant, Teen Mom? What kind of morals did you think MTV had? Do you think they care if your twelve year old daughter sees Miley twerking on television? (Just as a side note, I had to look that word up on Wikipdeia. And I promise you I will punish anyone who ever tries this with one of my children.) So parents, if you know the kind of filth that comes from MTV, why pretend that you are outraged by the VMA's? It's like bringing your child into a bar and then crying foul when beer is actually served to the customers. Do you actually listen or read the lyrics of the songs that are played on MTV or popular radio stations? I do. I have to. I coach a team that performs in hundreds of venues, including schools, each year. I require our music to be clean and clear of references to swearing, drugs, and sexual innuendos. There's very little music out there now free of all three subjects. If a child is allowed to listen to this type of music regularly, their choices and actions are bound to reflect the themes of their music. There was a time in my life when my music choices were substandard. I was very naïve as a teenager and listened to certain bands because my boyfriend at the time thought they were cool. I was uncomfortable the first few times listening to the cd's. Then I just learned to block it out, or so I convinced myself I was blocking it out. Music speaks to your heart and soul. Not only good music, but terrible music as well. It blackens your heart as quickly as most anything will. Luckily, I realized the affect it was having on me before I was too numb to my own thoughts.

I've had friends and family members listen to certain types of music, but they are convinced that their children will not choose to listen to it. Really? You think that if you're eating the donut, your child is really going to choose the whole wheat bread? Risky music appears fun, loud, edgy; all the things that kids want at a young age. Even at the age of three, my young son prefers music with a loud beat. He can flip through my music on the ipod and he always picks the songs with a faster, louder, and interesting beat. I realize there will come a time when I can no longer control the type of music he chooses to listen to, but I'm hoping that my example won't aide him in making poor choices. I'm hoping I'll be the voice in the back of his mind saying, "You can do better than this. You deserve better than this."

All of our children deserve better than what MTV is providing. It shouldn't take the performances of Sunday night to speak out for the innocence of our children. Miley was raunchy long before this performance. Make the choice now to protect your children, and yourself from role models such as this. If you do listen to the type of music I am advocating against, spend just a day away from it and you will see a difference. You'll either feel the constant need to turn it on, which means you are addicted and need to make changes, or you will notice a sense of peace surround you. Your thoughts will be open to ideas that were blocked out earlier by incessant beats and vulgarity. Trust me. I've had it both ways and I much prefer my thoughts to be my own.