Barb writes:
I got a kick out the response from the guy who said to take a teen to
a game and say "look at this horrible, violent American sport." Even
if they aren't fans, I would think most teens already know what
football is. My fifth grade daughter has played it in gym class.

I really doubt it! They probably play touch football. This is really
totally different from NFL football (or even high school football).
Like it or not, a big part of NFL football is stuff like "hit the guy so
hard that he drops the ball". I really, really don't believe you have
that in 5th grade gym class.

Of course teens know what football is. I still think there's some merit
in actually observing it, as opposed to just knowing about it. There's
a balance between overexposure (which can desensitize people) and
underexposure (which can leave people with an intellectual understanding
but no real emotional connection). Like the anti-death-penalty
activists who want executions to be televised, so people have more of an
emotional connection to the acts being performed on their behalf.
(Whether that would go too far in the "desensitization" direction, or
not, I'm not sure. I think it might, because of the global reach of
television. Requiring citizens selected by lottery to attend local
executions might be more effective.)

David desJardins