What is wrong with today’s society?
To the Editor,
The lack of clear and certain moral standards has lead to increasing decay and turmoil in our families, neighborhoods and society. That is one main reason why certain Lehigh Acres community leaders are promoting the Weed and Seed program.
Whatever happened to family values?
Good old-fashioned honesty, respect, caring and commitment are no longer visible, are they? Today nearly half of American families have been shattered by divorce. Children are home alone while parents work.
Guns are readily available. Crime is commonplace. Sex outside of marriage is accepted. Truth is relative, and the focus is on “What’s in it for me?”
To add further to the confusion about society, there are regular graphic descriptions of sex, crime, and killing on television and the printed page. Add to this the strong popularity drawing kids and teens to video and computer games that glorify killing. Is it any wonder there is no respect for life anymore?
How many times have you asked yourself this question as you read the pages of the newspaper or listened to the latest news broadcast about the violence, crime and lack of values and morals permeating this society?
Cultural decay is rampant and no city, town or community in the world is immune to the multitude of social problems that arise in the wake of widespread violence, crime, abuse, illiteracy and immorality.
Our social decay is clearly reflected in statistics.
The average age for first-time porn site viewers has now dropped to eight years old.
Underage drinking amounted to 19.7 percent of the alcohol consumed in the year 1999.
11.2 percent of 12-17 year-olds reported current use of illicit drugs in 2003.
A 10 percent increase in children living in single-parent homes leads typically to a 17 percent increase in juvenile crime.
One-half of all U.S. children will live in a one-parent house.
Foreclosure rates in Lehigh Acres are higher than the national average.
The Unemployment rate in Lee County is greater than 12 percent.
More than 20 percent of children are sexually abused before the age of eight.
In the last decade, 1.5 million children have died in wars.
As you read this, more than 30 wars and conflicts rage around the world.
We can no longer afford the view our social problems will lessen or go away if only we throw enough money at them.
It’s time to work together and resolve this community’s issues. Join one of Lehigh Acres community groups. If we work together, we can fix one at a time.
Robert Anderson
Lehigh Acres