Children Are Responsibility of Parents, Not Hollywood

I am usually too busy to spend my time writing letters to everyone that strikes a nerve in me, but this time I have had it [“Anti-Smoking Ads in Theaters Light Up Readers’ Interest,” Letters, Dec. 21].

Parents are still finding ways to put the parenting responsibility on others rather than themselves.

“Shame on Hollywood” was the first line of one of the letters you published. Why is it shame on Hollywood and not shame on the parents? Last I heard, children under 18 are the responsibility of the parents under current law. It is not the responsibility of the cigarette companies, the advertisers, Hollywood, etc. to monitor your children’s actions.

Movies with the rating of G and PG rarely have smoking in them unless it is recording a historical fact of a character’s behavior, or to make the villain as horrible as can be.

Movies with the rating of R have people smoking, raping, killing, drinking and everything you do not want to expose your children to. Why is it Hollywood’s fault if you take your children or your children defy your orders and go to these movies? Rated R means “children under 17 not admitted without adult.” If your children are viewing these movies, it is either your fault or the fault of the theater that sold the tickets.

If your children are running out and buying cigarettes because Brad Pitt smoked in “Seven Years in Tibet,” then I think you seriously need to reevaluate the morals that you instilled in your children and try to take an interest in their lives, and teach them what you want them to know.

It is not Hollywood’s responsibility. They provide entertainment, not parenting.

FRED M. WACHTEL

Lancaster