The Loss of Respect

Recent headlines of Chris Brown’s alleged battery of his girlfriend Rihanna has landed the couple in the uncomfortable position of becoming the new faces of Domestic Abuse. As more facts emerge, accounts of public squabbles and violent screaming matches paint a picture that is more reminiscent of a soap opera rather than a relationship. More troubling than the actual case is the attitude of many young people. They appear to be unfazed and desensitized. One young woman was asked her opinion regarding Brown and Rihanna and she is quoted as saying, “All her friends have relationships like that” and “It’s not a big deal.” Could it be that we are raising a generation of young people who are attracted to drama and remain numb to abuse?

For some the rite of passage to adulthood lies in emulating what you perceive as adult behavior.
The shaping of our perception is influenced by many outside factors but manly by our role models. Today’s role models hale from the entertainment world. Musician’s, Sports figures and even Reality TV Stars are the new standard that our young people are willing to follow. Gone are the days when our mothers would take us aside and give us a golden nugget of wisdom such as “keep your hands to yourself” and “If you respect yourself then others around you will respect you to.” Instead we are bombarded with a growing epidemic of people who take pride in disrespecting themselves and others. One look at some of the top reality shows and we see examples of men and women engaging in abusive behavior.

Our mothers did not lie to us. There is honor in respecting others and ourselves. Failure to do so can only lead to further disintegration of the next generation.