Understanding Television & Movie Violence

But why is this Pokemon Fad provoking so much violence with the young kids trading and collecting these cards, when they should be enjoying playing in harmony and making peaceful friends together?

Confessions of a Babyboomer

In my so-called day, as a TV viewing kid, I needed all the toys guns I could get related to my favorite Westerns and Detective shows produced for ABC by Warner Brothers in the late fifties on television. including Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip and Cheyenne.

The History of Television Western Memorabilia

Because of the TOY Gun Craze on television the Mattel toy company went from a small business to the first Toy company to become a major corporation when it advertised selling a Tommy Burst machine gun on ABC’s newest venture by Walt Disney for kids, called THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB, in 1953

There were even focus groups by parents in the 1950’s that showed that playing with Toy Guns weren’t a bad thing--it calmed kids out, especially boys. Never once did anyone in P.S. 197 my elementary school in Brooklyn, New York ever worry about someone running in the hall way to shoot them with a real gun, because of a bad card or comic book trade.

Hopalong Cassidy rides again

But now in 1999, the frenzy of the Pokeman craze has caused American Elementary Schools to ban bringing the cards to school because the trading amongst students are interrupting recess, and causing fist fights, the use of real knifes and a gun in some cases to settle disputes. Some parents have complained and taken legal action against Nintendo, Wizard and Topps, claiming the card trading is promoting gambling.

Yes, there’s violence in some of the POKEMON television shows, but just as much , if not less then any Batman or Power Rangers program related to Sci Fi adventures.