Letters: May 8, 2012

Children turning aggressive
I have a three-year-old son and he used to watch a lot of shows on television — he was naive and innocent (‘Focus: Have parents lost control?', Gulf News, May 4). Now he likes to watch cartoons. I noticed that his behaviour has changed and he is more aggressive. I talked to my wife about it and sat with him to watch these cartoons. I noticed that most of the cartoons are encouraging children to fight by becoming aggressive and destructive — a 30-minute episode will have 25 minutes of non-stop action. A child will not differentiate between good and bad and will react in the same way as the characters in the cartoons. Because most of the time the hero wins, the child's conclusion would be: if you fight or are aggressive then you will win, no matter how big or strong your enemy is. I would urge the authorities to check or confirm with psychologists regarding the impact of violent cartoons on children's behaviour. Additionally, I think that children, especially boys, must be involved in outdoor games such as football, hockey and swimming. Indoor games, such as video games, have a negative impact on their upbringing.
From Mr Kamran Azim
Dubai

Values are precious
I completely agree that parents are 90 per cent responsible for how their children behave at a young age. So, these parents need to inculcate good values of respect, love and tolerance for fellow human beings and animals, early on in their children's life. I am a working mother but I make it a point to spend time almost every day with my children. I sit and talk to my two children, face-to-face, about values and life in general and ask for their feedback, so that I know that they have understood what I said. I wish all parents took this job seriously. It is very important and we cannot afford to do a sloppy job.
From Ms Aardra
Abu Dhabi

Better utilisation of satellites
The comment by Nidhal Guessoum is quite informative, as we normally do not read such topics in the newspaper and other media, which are supported by satellites (‘Satellites are taken for granted now', Gulf News, May 4). Satellites are indeed very much a part of modern-day living and they influence a lot in the development of science and technological advancement of the modern world. However, I'm not in favour of its commercialisation, which I fear could lead to a dangerous situation in the future. Since satellites are very much integrated to the advanced world, they must also be protected and there should be proper plans for their disposal. I am certain that the next generation will have better utilisation of satellites, mainly for educational and technological requirements. But let's not turn space into a waste basket of unused and expired satellites.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Kerala, India

Producing technology
Thank you for this valuable comment. Hopefully we will start building our technology industry ourselves and not just buy it. It won't be easy, but it's a must. It's not just a decision but a whole process — it's a movement done by the whole society. Hopefully, there will come a day when we will be producers and not just consumers.
From Mr Youne B. Hassi
Messaoud, Algeria

Important shiny objects
We used to observe satellites during our stargazing nights. I agree that we should deal with them as important devices and not just shiny objects moving among the stars.
From Ms Basma Diab
Amman, Jordan

Think twice
Smoking in public places should be banned or restricted to designated smoking areas to avoid any smoke that could affect others, especially pregnant women and babies. Smokers really need to think every time they light a cigarette that they are not only poisoning themselves but also their brothers and sisters around them.
From Mr Mathew
Dubai 
Full name withheld by request

Upholding rights
Smokers say it is their right to smoke. What about the rights of non-smokers? They have no choice when the air is already polluted with cigarette smoke. The right is no longer theirs when they step on the rights of others. Smoke where no one else can inhale your smoke and this way you can enjoy your full right.
From Mr Reg Cucal
Abu Dhabi