I would like to respond to the letter to the editor published on Feb. 6, concerning television choices. Although the writer made some good points that I agree with there are some deeper issues that need to be thought out in regard to this topic.

Like most American families we choose to have television in our home, and we choose to be responsible parents who zealously guard what is watched not only for our children but for ourselves as well. I can count on one hand the number of shows that we consider family appropriate and even then we sometimes have to turn the TV off for short periods of time during these shows due to the content. Then our kids ask, “Why do they put that stuff in there when they know kids are watching?” Good question. I would like an answer from the television industry on that one. I have heard them defend their content with the argument that this is the age of “explicit entertainment” and that “kids today are much more knowledgeable about these things.” That is not a responsible answer, it is an excuse to justify their unacceptable content.

We hear a great deal these days about encouraging and teaching people to take personal responsibility. But we live in an environment that promotes situational ethics as opposed to clear right and wrong messages, the moral decay is evident everywhere we turn. I would like to challenge the television industry to take responsibility and as the president has asked rate your shows like the movie industry. I would go a step further and request that they limit the PG13 and worse content shows and commercials to after 9 p.m.

Would this really be so difficult for them? Just think of the message that would be sent to parents, teen-agers, and children throughout this country, that maybe after all standards of decency still exist. Dawn Cobb Machias