Shake your Bootee??

Before I start to rant, I will say right from the off that I am a normal, healthy 30-something woman, and not in any way frigid or shy and retiring. However, I turned into my Granddad the other day, yelling at the telly and wondering how the world has gone to the dogs. It was bound to happen I suppose, and no doubt it will get worse. I do have a good moan about a lot of things: bad spelling, chavs, the state of the roads, litter…you name it, I’ll gladly climb on up there and give it some welly.

One of my latest “verbal vomits” (for they are frequent and many) came whilst watching the new “Karate Kid” movie, starring Will Smith’s little boy. I’m all for remakes of old classics, and this was overall a great little movie. Mini-Smith was great and how can you not love Jackie Chan? Yet
how can it POSSIBLY be OK to have a kissing scene involving two 11 year olds? I’m not so naïve to think that kids don’t experiment or aren’t curious (I know I was myself when I was a kid), but to almost actively encourage it is, well, irresponsible, surely? What happened to Barbie and Action Man, please?

As a trainee teacher I would carry baby wipes in my handbag to hand out to the 11 year olds who came into class looking like hookers (did their mothers let them out like this or did they slather themselves on the way to school?), and I remember watching a school show, with little girls showing off their “dance routines” to an audience of open-mouthed adults ( not in a good way I hasten to add). To see a child, for let us remember that this is exactly what they are, practically pole-dancing, gyrating and shaking their booties, gazing provocatively at an imaginary camera whilst on all fours, was deeply discomfiting! Beyoncé has a lot to answer for!

Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for dressing up in Mum’s clothes, trying on make-up and play-acting, but this was very sexual stuff. I could see how horrible mistakes could be made with under-age girls who have made themselves up to pass as very convincing 17 – 19 year olds. Let me be extremely clear that there is no excuse for paedophilia (a subject I will probably rant on at some point) and frankly perpetrators should be castrated. Take this latest news story of the one month
old baby in Gravesend who is in a critical condition in hospital, having been subjected to the most horrific injuries. I cannot recount what happened to the poor little boy, as it makes me physically ill, and I can absolutely understand the “angry mob” that gathered outside the house wanting to string up the animals who committed this disgusting crime.

How about we practice a little common sense, huh?