An open letter to Hollywood from a cowboy.
Making a Western movie implies an obligation to a higher standard. Louis L'Amour, Gene Autry, Zane Gray, Roy Rogers, John Ford and John Wayne understood this. They acknowledged the responsibility they bore to the generations of young minds who loved their movies.
We would be hard put today to name a Western movie you could take a 12-year-old to. "Brokeback Mountain"? "Unforgiven"? "All The Pretty Horses"? The only new Western TV show is "Deadwood."
As time marches on, our children have become more sophisticated. Which, unfortunately, means profanity, lewdness, explicit violence and egregious horror are part of their everyday experience as a grade-schooler. Got cable?
I'm sure this sounds like a disgruntled rant, but it's more like wishful thinking. Why is it necessary to unearth the feet of clay of our heroes?? No one knows better than real cowboys that the image portrayed in the old Westerns was made through rose-colored glasses.
Out of some perverse sense to reveal the "whole story," the movie industry continues to feature crooked cops, seditious astronauts, perverted teachers, greedy doctors, sadistic soldiers and cowardly fireman in movies. The more admirable the occupation, the more sordid the story.
I know these are not meant for children. I appreciate the movie industry's rating guide. However, all that is left for children are "fantasy" movies like Harry Potter or cartoons like "The Lion King."?? But children's movies lack role models. They can't grow up to be Luke Skywalker or Cat Woman or Shrek.
But I can't blame just Hollywood for the coarsening of our culture and our children. Hollywood and HBO are clueless. It is like trying to explain that it is bad manners to chew with your mouth open to a pack of hyenas. We all have contributed. We let it happen. We let them destroy our collective sense of decency.
For a child to emulate a hero, the hero has to be portrayed by a real person. Someone they can become when they grow up. That's why the old Western movies had a value beyond entertainment. It made kids want to be like the cowboy on the screen who was one of the good guys.
It is that high standard embodied in those old Westerns that are readily available on repackaged DVD's in discount stores nationwide.
Do your kid a favor, make sure they get to see what real human action heroes look like. Watch it with them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting a horse!
Baxter Black, author, cowboy poet and former large animal veterinarian, lives in Benson, Ariz.
Editorials
Dear Hollywood
- Editorials
-
-
Show them some love
Oklahoma joins bus drivers and riders throughout the nation in the “Love the Bus” campaign to raise awareness and appreciation for the thousands of school bus drivers and aides who safely transport children to and from school each day....
-
Cuts in mental health short-sighted at best
When state budgets tightened up three legislative sessions ago, mental health and substance abuse treatment appropriations amounted to low-hanging fruit. It was easy for lawmakers to reduce treatment for mental health consumers and ...
-
‘Flavor of the month’
State Republicans have invited all of the GOP presidential candidates to Oklahoma. Former candidate Herman Cain came to Oklahoma City in early December, just days after he suspended his campaign. Rick Santorum brought his charged-up ...
-
Gov. Fallin says tax cuts bring national attention
Rating agencies are often courted by state, county and local officials seeking better ratings and thus lower interest costs on long-term debt financed through bonds. Oklahoma’s governor and other officials called on various agencies this ...
-
AA’s decision a blow to Tulsa
The announcement by American Airlines that it will likely lay off almost a third of its Tulsa work force is terrible news. Looking for the bright side, the huge Tulsa maintenance facility will keep almost 70 percent of its employees ...
-
Oklahoma kids rank low
Oklahoma kids continue to rank low in terms of poverty, health, child welfare, early childhood development and hunger....
-
Schools deserve best equipment, teachers
A candidate at a state Senate forum this past week repeated the oft-made comment that Oklahoma has too many school districts. We agree some consolidation is needed, and it’s happening. But the candidate went beyond that and said we don’t ...
-
Thanks from our readers
Oklahoma senators serving on the finance committee wisely killed a bill that would effectively tax newspaper and magazine subscribers. It came up on the session’s first full day of work and was quickly dispatched by a 13-1 vote....
-
Governor, chancellor push higher grad rates
Oklahoma has long had college students who leave campus before finishing their degrees. They leave to take jobs in order to support families, they get behind in studies and don’t see a way out, or they just need a break. Additionally, some ...
-
A turning point in Oklahoma’s health
The governor’s announcement of a tobacco ban on any state-owned or leased properties may be a turning point in the state’s push for better health. We’re currently ranked 48th in the United Health Foundation rankings. We made some progress, ...
- More Editorials Headlines
-
Show them some love
