Musings From My Minivan

Do we need a rating system for our streets and highways? It seems that we do. My children noticed a giant billboard on display as we drove into Chicago this weekend.? We were? all very surprised to see a woman laying out on a carpet in her lace bra and underware looking less then studious.? I stopped in a? 7-Eleven to buy batteries for my son’s mp3 player on our way out of town only to find a magazine with a? woman wrapped in some sort of ribbon exposing herself on the cover. It was? obviously an adult magazine there in between the People and the? US, amongst the gum and the breath mints, below the register in full and open view, coincidentally at a child’s height. What are we doing, really? Why are we activiely erasing innocence? Because that is exactly what we are doing by consistently exposing our children to these sexual images at every turn. It’s not fair, they deserve better. They deserve a chance to grow at their own pace. And parents should be able to decide when to begin discussions with? their children about sex, not have? their hand forced because kids? are seeing suggestive photographs on highway billboards? on their way to school. We have gone too far and it’s time that we pull back and think about what we are doing to our children long term. “Girls Gone Wild” …need I say more?

Come Unite TOGETHER? as a? Community.

Let Your SMILE Shine on!

Miss Lori

I am very dismayed that WGN Moning News? chose to celebrate such a crass song as Crank Dat by Soulja Boy on the air recently. I personally guard an artists’ right to express themselves through their art, however, I am equally as vigilant about a child’s right to be protected from content that is sexual, violent,? demeaning & absolutely well beyond their years. We must protect our kids from adult content that is inappropriate for their entertainment consumption. I encourage all of your viewers to read the complete lyrics from Crank Dat by Soulja Boy. Yes the beat is nice and the dance is fun, but if the dance accurately depicted the true story of the song would you still want your children to be doing it? “Soulja boy off in this hoe. Watch me lean and watch me rock. Super man dat hoe…I’m bouncin’ on my toe. Watch me super soak dat hoe…I’m to clean off in this hoe…I’m to fresh up in this bi***…Watch me Super man that bi***.” Crank Dat is not a song about the character of “Superman” that we all grew up with, it is instead about a personal and private sexual act which should not be showcased, in my opinion, with children dancing to it on Morning TV. Obviously each parent has the right to decide what is ultimately appropriate for their children to listen to and observe. I do not condemn any parent who decides that this song is allowed in their homes. Nevertheless, I believe strongly that that the news, entertainment and advertising? communities need to stop pushing the envelope of permissiveness and forcing a parents’ hand. Our children will grow up soon enough. Their brief childhood should be treated as sacred.

“Come Unite TOGETHER”? as a? community.

Let Your SMILE Shine On!?

Miss Lori

Friends:

Google has implemented a new feature which enables you to type a
telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and you will be
given
the person’s name an address. If you then hit MapQuest, you will get a
map to the person’s house. Everyone should be aware of this! It’s a
nationwide reverse telephone book.

If a child gives out his/her phone number, someone can now look it up
to
find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious and
alarming.

Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. I tried my
number and it came up along with the mapquest and directions straight
to
my house. I filled out the removal form for myself and it worked. I
encourage all of you to do the same. Quite scary.

In order to test whether your phone number is mapped go to google:

(> http://www.google.com/ <)

Type your phone number in the search bar and click on “Google Search”.
If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information,
simply click on your telephone number and then click on the Removal
Form. Removal takes 48-hours.

Check your own number and although this may not apply to you if you
have
an unlisted number or cell phone as primary contact, but you may know
someone who needs to know this.

Come Unite TOGETHER in “COMMUNITY”!

Miss Lori