SpongeBob saves the day....

[Chris James]

And you thought that all the Saturday morning cartoons were just silly mindless entertainment for kids...not in this case:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/boy-learns-heimlich-maneuver-from-spongebob-saves-classmate-from-choking/ar-CC2OH8?li=BBgzzfc&ocid=LENDHP

In this day of stupid school rules about touching another student I read the article with trepidation, waiting for the punch line where the boy was suspended for breaking the rules. I mean, he hugged a girl! But I imagine the school authorities would have a hard time disregarding the benefit of what the boy managed to do. Yaaay SpongeBob.

[ChrisR]

I do hope that the producers of such animated programming take note as well.

Kids will mimic what they see, for better or for worse. If children's programming is filled with good and hope and useful stuff, we can expect our younger generations to learn it. But if children's programming is filled with trash, we can expect our younger generations to learn that instead.

Too many shows that have been on for many years seem more interested in keeping their existing aging fan base and getting 'older' topics than keeping them as kids' shows. Then again, I'm still ticked off that Mr. Snuffleupagus moved from imagination to reality, so what do I know.

[Merkin]

Kids will mimic what they see, for better or for worse. If children's programming is filled with good and hope and useful stuff, we can expect our younger generations to learn it. But if children's programming is filled with trash, we can expect our younger generations to learn that instead.

Amen to that. Is there any way to make a rule that will keep all guns out of the hands/paws/appendages of all cartoon characters?

[Chris James]

Amen to that. Is there any way to make a rule that will keep all guns out of the hands/paws/appendages of all cartoon characters?

In a society so enamored of guns in every F ing movie you see I doubt if animated films are even considered. But swear too much, show a little sex, or get too violent and your film is slammed with an R rating. What would it take to get the gun violence out of television programs or films? An impossibility, so every film or television program with guns should get an R rating to keep from glorifying such activity to children.

Will it work...no, violence is addicting as any toddler can tell you from the time they talk. Welcome to America...now put your hands up or I will shoot you.

[ChrisR]

Will it work...no, violence is addicting as any toddler can tell you from the time they talk. Welcome to America...now put your hands up or I will shoot you.

To be fair, it's not completely limited to an American audience or American productions. James Bond doesn't quite swagger in with a Kentucky twang (or a Kentucky long rifle). And Darth Vader's antics are filmed in some foreign country too. (Or is it another planet?) Neither is particularly known for resolving conflict through peaceful discourse. And at least it's, as you say, "America... hands up OR I will shoot." Try the middle east (Arabic) with its AK-47s (Russian) where it's "hands up THEN I will shoot."

Oddly enough, some of the more violent books/films for kids are the Harry Potter series, which proved that if you switch out the 9mm Glock (Austrian) for the 9mm Ollivander (Diagon Alley) you can kill as many as you'd like and nobody notices, even as you line up the bodies of the dead children.