Kristina Loew: From movies to music, conservative voices have cornered the tween scene, that 12 – 13 year old demographic which often looks to their favorite stars for moral guidance (and ways to spend their parents’ paychecks). Parents can feel safe knowing that the Twilight franchise is one long ode to abstinence, while the Jonas Brothers sport promise rings and Miley Cyrus gives shout-outs to Jesus. Most recently, Justin Bieber let his fans know he doesn’t like abortion, even in cases of rape. With young impressionable minds hanging on every word, maybe it’s time for parents to ask — has the mainstreaming of conservatism gone too far?
Update: Rolling Stone has admitted an editing error. The New York Observer writes:
The quote from the initial interview, via Popdust:
“I really don’t believe in abortion,” Bieber says. “It’s like killing a baby?” How about in cases of rape? “Um. Well, I think that’s really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I guess I haven’t been in that position, so I wouldn’t be able to judge that.”
Rolling Stone‘s corrected quote, which acknowledges an “editing error,” summarizes:
“I really don’t believe in abortion,” Bieber says. “It’s like killing a baby?” How about in cases of rape? “Um. Well, I think that’s really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I guess I haven’t been in that position, so I wouldn’t be able to judge that.”
Rolling Stone‘s corrected quote, which acknowledges an “editing error,” reads:
“Um. Well, I think that’s really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I don’t know how that would be a reason. I guess I haven’t been in that position, so I wouldn’t be able to judge that.”
2 comments
Harry says:
Feb 28, 2011
Exactly why would a pubescent teenaged boy be an expert on the public policy questions surrounding birth control issues? Seriously, boys, I’m really missing something here. As Ozzie Osbourne so well puts it, “What’s a bieber?”
jim says:
Mar 1, 2011
When Thomas Paine wrote “The Age of Reason” he wrote it from the perspective of a man who had survived a tumultuous era of war, politics, and human insanity.
I think he had hoped there would come a time when the sane voice of reason would be heard.
How disappointed he would be to know that today, over two hundred years later, the world is no less insane and no less inclined to turn it’s back on reason.
Information saturation and mass media have created a never ending flow of adult propaganda which filters into every family living room in the country. This constant barrage of problematic information invariably creates mental and emotional overload. The result is no less than an assault on the immature minds of young children. It imposes unnecessary concerns upon their consciences.
Adults seem either unaware, or unconcerned that their youngsters may become indoctrinated or emotionally troubled with this continual bombardment of adult issues.
Thomas Paine would be appalled to see that reason continues to take a back seat to insanity. Little boys like Justin Bieber are just victims.
Why would we, as adults, even trouble young minds with such propaganda? Why even ask a young boy about such a thing? It is at worst insane and at best unreasonable.