Violence is everywhere in American society. From colonial times to the present violence has been used as a condoned means of getting our national goals accomplished. Even if that goal is forcing our national beliefs on other countries. Not only that but, as we all know, sex and violence sells. They are used throughout the media in a variety of ways, all of which glorify violence. From an early age children in America are exposed to violence through the media, at least, and often times through experience. These children form their own personal value systems based on what they see as an acceptable level of violence needed to react to what has just been said or done. How can it be a surprise that our children are violent when our country as a whole has spawned violence generation after generation? Why should todays youth be any different?
             I see violence being reinforced from a variety of angles. Early Americans were violent against the American Indians, the first American minority. Minorities from that day forward have been treated in similar fashion, just under a different guise. In early American cities mobsters used violent tactics to achieve their goals both in reality and in the media. Like the treatment of minorities, I find that America has not eliminated mob violence or tactics but rather simply disguised it under clever legislation and rhetoric. The media, I believe, can be divided into two acting forces when it comes to violence. The media over exposes inner city violence, gang violence, and violent crimes committed by minorities. I find that from this angle the media is damaging the self-image of American minorities, which just leads to more resentment of the white majority, and subsequently more violence. At the same time the media of popular culture (television, movies, games, etc.) has consistently been able to "push the envelope". In doing so, popular opinion regarding what is a rational, or at least understa...