Jack Valenti

Media violence should be not blamed for youth violence, argues Jack Valenti in the following viewpoint. He contends most adolescents are exposed to the same movies and television shows but only a few of those teenagers become violent. Valenti acknowledges that there are unacceptable movies, but he asserts that most filmmakers recognize the role they play in society and the responsibility they have to make parents aware of films that are inappropriate for children. Valenti is the president and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America. The viewpoint is excerpted from testimony he gave before the Senate Commerce Committee.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to statistics cited by Valenti, what percentage of schools reported a serious violent crime in 1996?
2. What does the author think should...