In his protest against TV violence, Simon C. Walburg writes: “It is . . . stated that between the ages of five and fifteen the average child sees 13,000 persons killed on television. This child also sees rapes, muggings, robberies, and other forms of physical violence.” Mr. Walburg is a member of the Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he has served as an elder and also as president of the men’s society.

An Outdoor’s Editor recently stated, “Killing people is all right these days, but don’t go shooting any animal.” Odd as this may seem, this is the message we get when we watch our TV’s. Sitting in front of the television on an average evening we sees all kinds of killing of people. This is accomplished by handguns, shotguns, rifles, clubs, knives, by choking and other ways too numerous to mention. But let this same TV show the cruel killing of an animal, the hue and cry of the do-gooders will go up seventeen decibels. They’ll say, “Don’t show that kind of show when kids are watching, it’s too cruel.” But these same folk will share the TV with youngsters while Matt Dillon guns down some villain on “Gunsmoke,” or Kojac chases some criminal that has just killed or robbed someone.

Why, a why are we getting so cross-eyed in our evaluations? We prefer puppies to people and cats and canines to men who are the crown of creation made in the image of God. We shuddered at the ghastly atrocities inflicted by the Nazi regime at Dachau, yet today we scarcely wince at the slaughter of unborn babies and we gobble up blood-letting scenes on our TV’s and in theaters. Certainly we are becoming twisted in our value judgments. On the one hand we can enjoy the music of Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart and the artistry of a Rembrandt, while at the same time we delight in the degenerate acts of decadent Rome. I’m starting to wonder. I’m beginning to think it would be wise to get in the dog coop with Fido. Then at least we would have the Humane Society to protect us.

According to a Michigan Citizens for Life periodical, “Don‘t steal an eagle egg.” If you do, it can cost you $5,000.00. Or a year in prison. Or both. Eagles are protected by federal law against harm or harassment by the citizenry. The penalty for so much as stealing an egg from a nest has been stipulated by Congress.

Don‘t gas a beagle. Senator Humphrey abhorred the idea of using dogs in any tests of clinical, biological, or radioactive warfare materials. His amendment banning use of appropriated funds for such purposes was overwhelmingly approved in the Senate and accepted by the House of Representatives.

BUT NOW—GET THIS – Babies you can kill! According to our U.S. Supreme court, the word “person” as used in the Fourteenth Amendment does not include the unborn. Last year in the United States more than 1,000,000 unborn babies were “terminated” through “Abortion on Demand.” Terminated means killed. Killed without the murderers facing a penalty of any kind.

So what kind of a Society do WE want? People get exactly the kind of government they deserve. And this “killing” attitude is stimulated by the violence on our TV‘s and theaters of today. So its up to US! If we just keep sitting there and doing nothing about it and don’t complain, some court will soon decide that old folks are sort of troublesome too. Or cripples. Or redheads. Or southpaws. After all the principle is the same.

I ask, WHERE DO WE TAKE A STAND AS CHRISTIANS? I hear practically NO VOICE in our Christian community opposing all these dastardly deeds (there are a few meager exceptions). When it comes to sports and fun we are vocal enough. When it comes to an increase in our salaries we are not to be intimidated.

1 t reminds me of the time 1 was shopping in a large department store. Seemingly from nowhere a man approached me with a bleak look on his face. He said nothing. He simply handed me a red, white, and blue pamphlet that stated, “HELLO. 1 am a deaf mute. Please forgive me for bothering you. I am selling this card to support my family. Will you kindly buy one? Pay any price you wish.” Stymied, I looked at the man –then instinctively I reached in my pocket and handed him a coin. But I was puzzled. Was this man really a deaf mute? Or was this a gimmick, an easy way to collect money for a lazy loafer? Then the thought struck me, are we as Christians acting like deaf mutes? Are we hiding behind this label so we won’t have to face up to the violence all around us? Are we afraid of persecution or harassment if we SPEAK OUT for the truth? As a recent article stated, we as Christians, like a turtle, HAVE TO STICK OUT OUR NECK if we want something to be done about the evils of the day.

So, we are smugly hiding in our shell (like a turtle) complacently waiting—waiting for somebody to speak ant? Or was it correct when someone referred to our churches as a Sleeping Giant? Significantly, in spite of our deaf-dumb attitude (though there are exceptions) the world—I repeat THE WORLD (not the church in general, mind you) is starting to wage a war on TV violence.

In Chicago the National Congress of Parents and Teachers will tackle violence on television. This TV violence, according to Dr. Anne Somers of Rutgers University, has become a major form of pollution and seriously threatens the health of America’s youth. It is further stated that between the ages of five and fifteen the average child sees 13,000 persons killed on television. This child also sees rapes, muggings, robberies, and other forms of physical violence. With this in mind the national P.T.A. is launching a national project to study the influence of television violence on children and youth.

In addition to this Governor Milliken in Lansing, Michigan, states, “Television must limit violence on the air waves or the public will force controls from outside the industry.” The Governor said he was absolutely appalled at some of the things he saw on TV, terming some of the recent programs “absolutely without a sense of redeeming value. They were,” he continued, “pure, unadulterated violence designed by the New York programers and the big networks simply to pander for the sake of profit.”

• Encouragingly, in the Sarasota Herald Tribune of Florida, February 26, 1977, a bold type caption declared, NETWORKS RESPONDING TO PLEAS FOR LESS VIOLENCE ON THE TUBE. Let us hope this is true. This article also stated that the American Medical Association urged sponsors to drop out of shows that rated high on the violence scale. And groups as diverse as the Southern Baptist Convention and the Screen Actor Guild joined in the anti-violence clamor.

In fact, opposition to TV violence and a willingness to fight it at the supermarket level aren’t limited to do-gooder groups. In a recent Gallup poll a majority of parents questioned said they believe there is a direct link between televised violence and rising crime in the streets. Further, listing the 6ve shows most violent as: The 6 Million Dollar Man, Hawaii Five-O, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Baretta, and Starsky and Hutch. Ironically, while visiting some relatives recently a four-year-old boy wanted a 6 Million Dollar man for his birthday. Goes to show how these characters burn their filth into a child-brain.

Also pressure groups have taken aim at the broadcaster‘s most vulnerable spot—their money belts. In other words there is a concerted effort to boycott those advertisers whose products are televised in conjunction with violent programs. In fact Frederick S. Pierce, president of the ABC television network flew into Hollywood with an edict to producers: “No more violence. Period. Period. Period.”

• So there is hope. A glimmer of light is on the horizon. But remember you and I can help make this dream of a less violent television programing come tme by our efforts. Let us be up and doing! The question: Are we going to be a Sleeping Giant with lockjaw? Or are we by God’s grace going to strive to be a golden-voiced witness to this generation? Remember, ‘“You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14).

No! This is not the end. This is the beginning! And the beginning is up to YOU and ME. Now! TODAY! Start writing your TV stations how you feel about this violence on television and the damage it is doing to our growing children. Inform your Commissioners, your Mayor, your Congressman. Maybe even give President Carter a ding-a-ling on his new hot-line. Vocalize your protests—possibly even in the Public Pulse of your local newspaper. Our Grand Rapids Press has a circulation of about 130,000. Think of the potential. BUT, before you do all this, pray for guidance, for courage, for persistence, so that we may win over this immoral monster that is invading our hearts and our homes.