Some Comments on Validity

ok, let's examine some of the reason why people hate the purple menace and take the time to give validity to those that deserve it.

• Teaching Children <"Strangers are just friends we haven't met yet> contrary to what local police teach our children.
  *** This would be a valid reason to have a hatred of Barfney. Teaching children that strangers are just friends we haven't met yet gives children the notion that when they come in contact with a stranger they should introduce themselves and make a new friend. What if this stranger is a child molester, kidnapper, or murder. Obviously in the alternative world of b&f there are no such things but our children don't have the option of living in this Utopia instead of the REAL World.

• The show is sickeningly sappy
  *** This would be an invalid reason to hate Blarney. Although it contributes to making parents want to hurl it's not the first or the last kid's show to be so sickeningly sweet it makes you want to spew.

• Teaching children such lessons as "Theft is ok as long as the person you steal from doesn't mind" "cheating is ok" or putting things over their heads such as cardboard boxes and walking around when they can't see is a good thing.
  *** this would be a valid point for hating the purple anti-christ. I allowed my son to spend the day with his paternal grandmother, during that time she allowed my son to watch the lovely cardboard box episode. We keep a box of his small toys such as mcdonald's kid's meal toys or giveaway breakfast cereal toys After seeing this episode my son came home, dumped his toys and was walking around with a box on his head. No sooner had he put the box on his head and began to walk around I got up to take it away, but before I could even get to him he tripped on one of those toys he dumped and twisted his ankle. (my son is not even 2 years old yet) yet, people say that the jihad has no valid grounds for hating this show???

• The purple dinosaur is too cute, and makes me sick
  *** sorry, this is invalid. if you have this attitude you might as well lock your kids up and throw away the key. I mean the easter bunny is too cute. Cuteness is unavoidable when you are a parent. The market is flooded with cute.

• the children of B&F although having different names all act the same, enjoy the same things and are immediatly shunned if they ever dare disagree with the majority.
  *** this is a valid reason to hate B'harnii, this is teaching our children that it is not ok to have different feelings then everyone else, to like different things then others or just have a different opinion or point of view. Let's face it people no one can say they agree with anyone 100% of the time. I don't know about anyone else but I want my son to grow up knowing it's ok to be himself and to have feelings.

• B&f is a virtual Utopia
  *** this also is a valid point. There is no such thing as Utopia. Things go wrong, it's part of life. If it were as easy as to wave your hand and make everything all better then maybe life would be Utopia, but it's not. Kid's need to be TAUGHT how to deal with problems. not how to run away from them and pretend they don't exsist or will be taken care of by a fictitious character.

• The babysitter trap
  *** this also is a valid point but allow me to explain it. The babysitter trap is when a show promotes turning it on and letting it babysit your kids while it entertains them instead of promoting you watching the show with your child and explaining things they don't understand to them.

• Lack of educational and moral value
  *** this is also a valid point for hating The moral fiber disingrating wyrm. Seasame street teaches different languages, the alphabet, counting, addition, subtraction and usually a lesson or two. Nick jr shows teach recognition, colors, and lessons. Lambchop teaches children, songs, games, math, friendship, and moral values and lessons. Never have I once seen the great fossil teach anything truly worthwhile. Instead, the shows I have watched have shown me that the only thing he is truly good at teaching is moral decay.

SUMMATION: It is my opion and belief that the creator of Barney had the right idea but when Barney was turned over to the great corporate executives he has been made into a morally deficent product who uses all the greatest attention grabbing gimmicks in the world to target him to a young audience. The corporate executives care nothing of our concerns and have shown that time and time again all they care about is making the big bucks off of this character.

Also, I don't really have a problem with a parent popping a tape into the vhs for their children to watch while they do something or turning on a program they know to be a good influence to their children. My main argument with the babysitter trap is that most parents who use Barney as a babysitter don't watch the show and probably never have truly watched the show. Parenting is a job. It entails you controlling the things your child is influenced by. I view most of what my son watches on tv either before he does (if it is a tape) of with him. I'm not a foolish person who has a hatred for a fictitious purple dinosaur I am a parent who has valid reasons for disliking the number one influence on young children today and what he stand for and teaches. I am in no way a member of this newsgroup because it's "the" cool thing to do. I don't dislike Barney because he's the new target of hatred for my generation. I dislike Barney because of what he stands for and is teaching children today. I stand behind the Jihad because one person alone cannot fight this battle and I've found them to have valid reasoning behind their pursuit. Although this newsgroup gets the occasional nut that has nothing more to say then die barney die...kill the purple dinosaur...most of the people here are fighting against what they believe to be a harmful product to our children, and I have to agree with them.

Sincerely....
Lady Hawk
Lady.Hawk@akron.info.com

I'm not just a mother....I'm a concerned parent with a brain enough to know the difference between right and just plain wrong!