Do You Believe in Freedom of Speech? by Dr. Robert Wallace on Creators.com

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Do You Believe in Freedom of Speech?

DR. WALLACE: I'm a 17-year-old honors student. I totally agree with you that in many of our public schools, acts of violence by the students are no longer isolated incidents. Unfortunately, these violent acts today are more the "rule" than the "exception."

There are many reasons for this drastic disregard for law and order. The failure of the modern family as a sanctuary of decency and honor is one reason, but I believe the prime culprits are those involved in the movie and television industry who produce films that graphically and vividly display murder, rape, robbery and other despicable acts for all to see. I'm not a prude. I have seen several R-rated movies that were well written and produced and had a positive moral objective. But the vast majority of them are of "gutter" mentality filled with filthy language, explicit sexual scenes and unabated "blood and gut" violence.

Do you agree, or are you one of those who believe in total freedom of speech regardless of the obscene language that is uttered? — Bernard, New York.

BERNARD: I believe in total freedom of speech where every human can express his or her beliefs in language void of unacceptable, filthy words.

I agree that many of the present television shows and movies add significantly to the moral decay that is indeed prevalent in today's world.

HE LIKES YOU!

DR. WALLACE: I'm a seventh-grade girl, and I like a boy who is also in the seventh grade. He acts like he likes me, but whenever his friends are around he acts like he doesn't know me.

Let me give you an example. Yesterday we were talking nicely after lunch until his boyfriends came out of the lunchroom.

Then he told me to "take off" and that he would talk to me later.

I have asked him several times if I embarrass him, and he said no and that he really likes me. My friends tell me that he likes me, but I'm not so sure.

What do you think? — La Toya, Clearwater, Fla.

LA TOYA: I think this boy likes you, but he has a lot of peer pressure to be with the "boys."

Until the pressure ends, he will probably forsake you for his friends, but it does not mean that he does not care for you.

TWO AUTO ACCIDENTS IN TEN MONTHS

DR. WALLACE: I was involved in two automobile accidents in the past 10 months, and both were my fault. Because of this, my fiancee refuses to ride with me when I'm driving. Now whenever we go anywhere in a car, she drives her car and picks me up; it's starting to bug me.

Last night, after dinner in a nice restaurant, it really got to me when the parking valet assumed I was the driver and opened the passenger door for my fiancee. I had to tell him that she was the driver. She even tipped him.

What can I do to convince my girl that the man should be the driver and his date the passenger? — Brent, St. Catharines, Ontario.

BRENT: Your male ego is showing. I think you've got an intelligent fiancee. Don't let your pride ruin your relationship. You will be in the driver's seat once again, whenever she is certain your driving habits have drastically improved.

I hope she gives you another chance!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.