by Lauren Almeida

Created on: October 15, 2009

Family Guy, the Simpsons, King of the Hills, American Dad, South Park - the list goes on. We as adults have the divine right to turn on the television after a long day of work, and subject ourselves to the idiotic antics of such adult cartoons. The jokes can be tasteless, the content can cross the line, and the ideas can be inappropriate. Does this mean that these adult cartoons shouldn't be aired on TV? No, it doesn't.

PARENTAL CONTROLS

Nowadays, there is the luxury of setting up parental controls on certain shows and movies that are not suitable for children to view. With a few clicks of the remote control buttons, it's simple to block adult content from crossing the path of your children's eyes. There is no reason for these cartoons not to be on the air with such a handy device.

Even if you have a cable package or a TV that does not have the parental control feature, the old fashioned watch-what-your-children-watch is just as effective. You are the parent and you are in control. If a show comes on that you don't find suitable for your child, the final say is yours.

SENSITIVITY AND DISCRETION

Prior to the commencement of any show that is known to have inappropriate content, there is a big and bold message that states all the reasons why it is inappropriate. Before a program starts as well as after commercials, there is a TV rating icon that is shown at the top right-hand corner of the screen, letting you know what the program is rated*.

These messages are not only geared towards concerned parents, but also to anyone who is offended by certain materials. The warnings and ratings are there for reasons, and they leave it up to the viewer's discretion if whether or not they wish to watch the program.

VARIETY OF CHOICE

If the Ultimate Fight Championship (UFC) is too violent for kids, does that mean it should be taken off the air? If "Sex and the City" is too rich in sexual and mature content, does it mean it should no longer be broadcasted?

No, and no. Of course, there are exceptions that rule against extreme adult content, but that should go without saying. Be that as it may, it is up to you, the viewer, parent or guardian to make the choice of what channel to watch. There are other things on TV besides adult cartoons! Having a variety of choice not only keeps the cable and satellite companies in business, but also gives us a wide range of shows and channels to choose from.

Those who have no children and have no problems with adult cartoons should not be forced in having no cartoons, just because they are supposedly "bad". Of course the cartoons should be aired on TV! They're the kind of programs that keep us entertained and laughing. For children, there are other cartoons that are more suited towards them, and it is the parent's responsibility to keep their children to watching those children's cartoons.

*TV Rating Guide - http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/parentsguide/tvratings2 .html

Learn more about this author, Lauren Almeida.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.