Mila 18

I love books. All kinds. Well, most kinds. I just finished reading Mila 18 for the second time and it once again blew me away. It's about the Warsaw Ghetto in WWII where all the Jews and societal misfits were made to live during the war, until they were deported to death camps. Leon Uris does an incredible job creating real characters that you wish you knew, combined with historical events. People in the ghetto formed the Jewish Fighters, an underground (literally) militia that (according to the book) held off the German SS Troops for over 40 days! Somehow the first time around I missed that the Fighters were real and Uris based the book off of things that really happened. It is incredible to think of the passion and determination these people had to preserve their stories. I am currently in awe of what people will go through to do what they think is right. Because of my Moral Development class, I think I'm more aware of moral exemplars and I look for them all over. I hope I can always keep this mindset because it helps me look for and see the beauty in people.

This book is on my must-read list!

Spread Kindness

Dear Fox 10,
I am an avid fan of culture, news, and media. I feel it is very important that people around the world know what is going locally, nationally, and in other countries. Thank you for searching out news stories and reporting them, so that we can have this valuable information.
I grew up in Mesa, AZ, where my family has lived for four generations now. I love Mesa and I love Arizona. It is a wonderful place to live, filled with good people and a growing culture. I hope to be able to raise my children there one day and let them have opportunities to grow in such a great environment.
In the last few years, I have become aware of my lack of desire to watch your, and others’, news stations because I feel that all I ever hear about is how horrible the world is and what sad and disgusting things are happening around me. I know that this is compelling news and it is important for people to be aware of what is going on around them, but I feel like many news stations, including yours, are only giving us part of the picture. Every once in a while we get to hear of someone going out of their way to do extraordinary service, but those stories seem to be few and far between.
Many people believe that watching violence or aggressive behavior can lead to increased aggression in viewers. Whether viewers become desensitized, excited by aggression, or get new ideas from it, I believe media violence certainly has an effect on their behaviors. In some of my university classes and through personal research, I’ve learned that watching or being exposed to prosocial behavior (i.e. service, kindness, helpfulness) has just as much effect on positive behaviors as viewing violence has on negative behaviors.
News stations have such power in what and how they portray the events around us. Imagine what good Fox 10 could do by regularly showing the good things happening in The Valley. Happiness and kindness is news too and it is interesting. Your viewers will be happier and have a stronger impulse and desire to help others, if you would show us the good in this world (especially in our communities) as well as the depressing. I truly believe that if you would report on good, prosocial events more often, there would be a positive change in people who watch your program and thus a change in our families and society.
I want my children to grow up in a community where service and goodness is valued and portrayed in the media alongside deviant and selfish behaviors. We deserve to know all that is happening, including the kindness I witness regularly in Mesa and everywhere else I’ve traveled. You can do this. You can help create this environment for our citizens.
Thank you again for covering the news and providing that service to us. I hope you will seriously consider the implications of what you show and how you can be a force for positive change and happiness.

Respectfully,
Sally Boyle