‘Sex in Movies’

I applaud Gov. George Deukmejian for speaking out (Times, April 13), “Deukmejian Criticizes Sex, Gore in Movies.” But I think he needs to carry his statement one step further.

Our governor simply stated that movies today are inappropriate for viewing. He failed to realize that the media’s values are not representative of the entire country, and by projecting such “sex” and “gore,” they are actually promoting it. Even in states such as California, not every teen indulges in the decadence shown in cinema. But when kids watch movies, they are being taught a standard of how they should act. Regardless of what state they live in, I have noticed a trend among my friends; namely, those who are constantly exposed to movies, both “R” and “PG” rated, are much less “straight,” as opposed to those who rarely see movies, or mostly just “PG” ones.

Cinema should be for entertainment, but the film makers need to pay more attention to the quality of morals and life styles they display to their audiences. Children are being led to believe that sex and drugs are expected of them and everyone is like the characters they view on the screen. This is not true.

I have a very close friend from a small, rural town in Georgia. Our standards contradict one another almost to a point of extremes. In California, she would be considered a freak, while I would be considered loose in Georgia. Perhaps both views are extreme, but if the media were to stop emphasizing the bestial side of humans, people like Deukmejian would no longer feel turned off by movies, and kids would no longer be 15 going on 40 with a chronic mid-life crisis.

REBECCA HARTENBAUM

Malibu