I am tired of hearing people blame TV shows for children’s actions. Why is it so easy for people to blame television and not the parents? Concerning “Jackass” on MTV, I agree with MTV; they should not change their programming because a 13-year-old set himself on fire. Where were his parents when he was watching this show, to tell him not to do that, that it would burn him? Can this 13-year-old even read, or hear? Right at the beginning of the show they tell you that these people are professionals and idiots: Do not try it at home. Even Johnny Knoxville looked into the camera and said, “Do not try this at home.” Where is this 13-year-old’s common sense? Gee, lets see, I pour gasoline all over me, light it on fire, and it won’t hurt. I’m sorry but this kid is probably a touch smarter now that he knows that fire burns. And again back to the parents. Where were they when he set himself on fire? “Jackass” is not at fault. MTV is not at fault. The parents are at fault — it is their child and their responsibility. TV shows and movies are not babysitters. They are not there to discipline your child or teach them right and wrong; they are there to entertain.It is the parents’ job to regulate what their children watch and what their children do. Matt Thompson

Senior

Construction engineering