2008 Woodie Awards
The Disrespects of Generation 'X'
Kathy Arellano, Marilyn Minton
Issue date: 3/2/05 Section: Opinion
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Shame on those vandals [Valley Star March 2, 2005 and Feb. 23, 2005]. They must have forgotten that time-honored conversation with their parents - the one about respecting other peoples' property and leaving things in better condition than before.
But when have kids ever really listened to their parents?
The parents' and kids' conflict of values and judgment has existed since recorded history. Every generation has been faced with bad attitudes and destructive behavior from its kids, especially when confronted with the two biggies - peer pressure and the offspring's need to belong.
The 1920s and 1930s heralded new freedom for young women. With make-up, 'bobbed' hair, shorter skirts and sleeveless blouses, girls' attention was always turned toward the flagpole-sitting, wing-tip-wearing guys who might ask them out to the drive-in movies. Kids were drinking bootleg liquor and getting into all kinds of clandestine trouble, much to their parents' distress.
The World War II-era guys flaunted their independence by swallowing goldfish and filling up phone booths with their dorm buddies. Girls in poodle skirts and dirty saddle shoes were doing a whole-lotta-shakin' and ignoring mom and pop at every turn. The old folks hated the music and thought all teens who liked it were going to h-e-double-toothpicks.
And yet, the 1930s and 1940s gave the world John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The 1960s flower children wouldn't be caught dead without their bell-bottom pants, platform shoes and mood rings. Offspring were getting into dangerous drugs and unprotected sex in Haight-Asbury. The word of the day was peace, translated to mean, "Hey, man, I can do whatever I want and it's cool..."
But many in this generation sobered up when in the 1960s and 1970s, they became the property of Uncle Sam and were shipped off to Viet Nam to kill and be killed. Here at home, others were burning American flags and participating in peace rallies. Mom and dad often did not know where their kids were, much less how they were behaving.
But when have kids ever really listened to their parents?
The parents' and kids' conflict of values and judgment has existed since recorded history. Every generation has been faced with bad attitudes and destructive behavior from its kids, especially when confronted with the two biggies - peer pressure and the offspring's need to belong.
The 1920s and 1930s heralded new freedom for young women. With make-up, 'bobbed' hair, shorter skirts and sleeveless blouses, girls' attention was always turned toward the flagpole-sitting, wing-tip-wearing guys who might ask them out to the drive-in movies. Kids were drinking bootleg liquor and getting into all kinds of clandestine trouble, much to their parents' distress.
The World War II-era guys flaunted their independence by swallowing goldfish and filling up phone booths with their dorm buddies. Girls in poodle skirts and dirty saddle shoes were doing a whole-lotta-shakin' and ignoring mom and pop at every turn. The old folks hated the music and thought all teens who liked it were going to h-e-double-toothpicks.
And yet, the 1930s and 1940s gave the world John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The 1960s flower children wouldn't be caught dead without their bell-bottom pants, platform shoes and mood rings. Offspring were getting into dangerous drugs and unprotected sex in Haight-Asbury. The word of the day was peace, translated to mean, "Hey, man, I can do whatever I want and it's cool..."
But many in this generation sobered up when in the 1960s and 1970s, they became the property of Uncle Sam and were shipped off to Viet Nam to kill and be killed. Here at home, others were burning American flags and participating in peace rallies. Mom and dad often did not know where their kids were, much less how they were behaving.
