Parents Who Aren’t Parents

By Joseph A

Subbies can temporarily relax, because I’m not harping on them this time. No, this time, I’ve decided to harp on those who call themselves "parents," but cannot be true to their title. This does not mean, however, that subbies should not still read this, because it further explains my stance on the censorship of Dragonball Z. Before I get into this, I should mention that this applies most heavily to parents of teenagers, but also to those of small children. Might as well try to stem a new generation of ignorance and stupidity.

I was blessed by having parents who were and are responsible. They taught me how to separate right and wrong, fantasy and reality right off, so I have no trouble with gratuitous sex, violence, language, and so on. This doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy them (what kind of teenager would I be if I didn’t?), but I can see them and not think that I have to imitate them in real life on other people (but when provoked, I can imitate pretty damn good). But, like I said, I was blessed. "Parents" today have children with common disciplinary problems. You know, mouthing off, disobedience, arson…oops! Scratch that last one (that was just me). The point is that these "parents" see these things and instead of correcting them, they blame them on television, movies, and music. It is these irresponsible parents that are responsible (wow, irresponsibility is responsible for something) for the often unnecessary and heavy editing of not only Dragonball Z and the whole of the anime industry, but of movies aired on television (who saw "Get Shorty" on NBC?) and, indeed, television shows. Some of the shows we deem crap might actually be good, or at least tolerable, left with a little, or lot, less censoring. But I digress. I’m straying from the topic. I blame these "parents" for the overwhelming censorship that we face today. Subbies, if you must blame somebody for the censorship of DBZ, blame not FUNimation, but these "parents." These are the people that drive FUNimation and the network censors to take such drastic and unnecessary measures to censor your beloved anime. These are the people who drive the almighty control factor in the modern broadcasting industry: the fear of litigation. Coming back to my thread, here. Why do I blame them, you ask? Well, mainly because they are the masses (and that is the scariest part of all, that these people are the majority) that drive the power in this country. Or, put another way, this is the masses swaying the establishment.

I am running out of steam here, people. However, if I had someone here to argue with, the recorded argument would drag on for 200 action-packed pages, most of which would be censored by these "parents" for being too violent or verbally explicit. So I will leave you with this. These "parents" could spend the necessary 5 minutes with their children and teach them the difference between right, wrong, fantasy, and reality, but for one, most of them do not know the difference for themselves, and two, in a world where ignorance and stupidity are becoming the permanent trend, I am simply asking too much.

I’ll serve your ass like John MacEnroe

If your steps up, I’m smacking the ho.

Word to your moms, I came to drop bombs

I got more rhymes than the Bible’s got psalms

And just like the Prodigal Son, I’ve returned

Anyone stepping to me you’ll get burned

Cause I got lyrics, and you ain’t got none

If you come to battle bring a shotgun

But if you do you’re a fool, cause I duel to the death

Try to step to me, you’ll take your last breath

I gots the skill, come get your fill

Cause when I shoot to give, I shoot to kill

I came to get down,

I came to get down,

So get out your seat and jump around.

-"Jump Around"

House of Pain