The Emergence of Pop Punk Music free essay sample

Rock n roll began in the sasss. It was started after World War II, when target audience was trying to return to normalcy and America was experiencing economic stability and prosperity (Starr, 199). Rock n roll was created to target a wide range Of young people. It was a much younger audience than had ever before constituted a target market for music, and it was a large audience that shared some specific and important group characteristics of group cultural identity (Starr, 199). This audience consisted of teenagers that lived in every area, were in every social class, and were of any race.Eventually, rock n roll came to be any type of music that targeted this audience. Rock n roll helped its audience to create its own culture. This culture had its own styles and identity, that were unique to this audience alone and included certain fashions, phrases, dances, and music. We will write a custom essay sample on The Emergence of Pop Punk Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The new culture was completely dominated by the youth of the sasss (Starr, 199). Rock n roll was a form of rebellion by teenagers because it allowed them to go against the principles and restraints that adults had placed on music style and preference.Rock music soon developed into a genre of music known as punk rock in the sasss due to a backlash against the centralization of all genres by music industries. Unlike any other musical genre, punk rock was started as a deliberate reaction to the mass centralization of music (History Of, 201 1). The genre of punk rock relied heavily on its individuality and underground existence. It wanted no relation to the mainstream of popular music, and was completely against corporate control. The first punk rock bands to emerge were The Ramose, The Sex Pistols, and The Clash. Many of these bands came from England, and were heavily influenced by the hardcore and grunge ultra that was occurring in England at the time. Unlike mainstream rock, these bands brought back the more raw do-it-yourself sound that simplified rock down to its core ingredients: loud guitars, rude attitude, and enraged singing (Grievers, 2012). Their songs utilized only a few chords, and their lyrics were Often repetitions Of short phrases. Many Of the bands were characterized by their aggressive and amateur sound.Punk rock was basically started to bring back the original aspects of rock n roll without selling out and giving in to the centralization of the media. These punk sock bands sang about politics, society, the environment, and other mature topics. Their band members were well-educated adults, who were publicizing their disappointment in the direction that the world was headed. The Ramose song Ignorance Is Bliss addresses several issues that they saw wrong with society with lyrics such as, Whats happening to our society?Disintegration of humanity, destruction of the environment (Cram that cop donation in your ass) Is it going anywhere? Politicians, (to confuse you). Whats good for them, now it anti good for you, but there anti nothing that you can do. These lyrics illustrated that the band members were well aware of what was going on in society and the world around them. They noticed that the environment was being harmed, that politicians were sometimes corrupt, and that society was beginning to drift apart. These lyrics shed a light that punk artists were educated and worldly. After a while, Punk was no longer just a genre of music.It had become a style of living. Being punk entailed rejecting any form of corporate control and staying anti-establishment. Punks started a movement that grew to become a revolution against political and societal establishments, whose followers would point at and criticize everything they perceived as wrong with the world. Their defiance against the majority symbolized a tendency to stay away from mainstream media, a market that supposedly destroyed individuality and creativity, turning its musicians into tools whose purpose was to gather the masses and in the process make as much money as possible (Park, 2008).The genre of punk rock created its own individuality among its audience. Being punk meant that you didnt approve of what was happening in society. Punk rock music served as an outlet for people to express their anger, fear, and disappointment with humanity. It wasnt until the 1 99(Yes that pop music merged with the genre of punk rock; giving both genres over 30 years to develop their own individual styles a nd thus creating the first wave of pop punk. Pop punk music submerged from not only the growing popularity of punk music but also the understanding of the punk lifestyle, the cultural change toward self-identity, and the acceptance of talking about emotions. Pop punk incorporates pop melodies with the loud drumming and distorted guitars of punk rock. Punk sock music was able to regain popularity because many teens began to think that being punk was cool. Just like pop and punk rock, pop punk targeted teenagers as its main audience. At this time, the definition of what being punk entailed had changed and developed into something else.Although punks still went against the social norm and denied any form of corporate control, this new trend of punk focused on individuality; free of the trends that society had placed on its people. Punk music no longer addressed issues such as politics and environmentalism. Its lyrics now focused on day-to-day vents and how they made the artist feel. Pop punk related to teens not only with appealing and memorable melodies but also with its relatable lyrics about love, emotions, life experiences, and teenage problems such as feeling left out, break ups, and family issues.Pop punk lyrics also sang about teenage angst, the status quo of society, and the helplessness felt by many teens throughout the asss. Being punk, which was all about steering away from popular opinion, suddenly became the popular thing to do. The centralization of punk rock allowed the public access to a genre once renowned upon and thought of as society child-gone-bad. A whole new musical style was formed through this new outlook towards punk, and paved the way for future alternative styles of rock that are still being influenced by its godfather today. (Park, 2008). People began to move toward the one thing they had looked down upon, and began to embrace the rebellion against corporate control. It became popular to reject all that was popular. It was this cultural change that was moving toward self-identity and self- awareness that allowed pop punk to flourish in the sasss. During this time, people began moving away from the social norm and wanted to create their own unique identity. It was this movement toward rejecting what was popular that allowed for the acceptance and understanding Of pop punk music. Pop punk music was all about going against the mainstream.It was radio-friendly music with the speed and attitude of classic rock. Throughout the 9(Yes, America experienced many mishaps such as the Cold War, the fear of nuclear weapons, and the loss of thousands of jobs due to technological advances. These incidents were addressed in songs such as Good Charlotte The Young and Hopeless with lyrics such as And if I make it through today will tomorrow be the same? Am I just running in place? And if I stumble and I fall, should I get up and carry on, or will it all just be the same? Cause Im young and hopeless. Im lost, and know this. Im going nowhere fast, thats what they say.Im troublesome; Ive fallen. Im angry at my father. Its me against this world and I dont care, I dont care. These lyrics reflect the angst and indecision that many teens felt throughout the asss due to their uncertainty of where the future was headed. The lyrics also address the family issues that became more prevalent during the asss due to divorce and single-family homes. In the asss, when punk bands sang about environmental and political issues, divorce rates were at a mere 20%. In the asss, when pop punk bands addressed issues such as helplessness, loneliness, and family issues, divorce rates had sky rocketed to 50%.Divorce rates more than doubling over this 40- year period were a major influence on punk lyrics and angst. Punks began to aim a majority of their blame and anger about the unhappiness they faced on he family problems they experienced. The topics that pop punk bands addressed changed. The lyrics became more personable, and teens that shared the emotions that were being sung about began to relate to the music on a deeper level. Other bands such as Blink 182 addressed the social issues of corporate control with lyrics like, Everything has fallen to pieces. Earth is dying, help me Jesus.We need guidance; weve been misled. Young and hostile but not stupid. Corporate leaders, politicians; kids cant vote, adults elect them. Laws that rule the school and workplace. These lyrics address the struts that many teens felt between the government and other authority figures that were adults. They also address the attitude that many adults had on teens by stating Young and hostile but not stupid. The years of these songs are trying to show society that even though teens throughout the country may act foolishly as many teenagers do, they were still aware of the problems going on around them.Both sets of lyrics, whether addressing family issues or distrust in the government have one underlying theme in common: emotions. The one major change between punk lyrics of the asss and punk lyrics of the 9(Yes was he change from calculators issues to emotions. Starting in the early asss, talking about your emotions became a more prevalent incident. It was not only the pop melodies but also the emotionally driven and relatable lyrics of pop punk music that allowed its audiences to relate to its music. Pop punk became an increasingly popular genre of music because it was not only catchy, but it held on to the popular theme of emotions within its lyrics. Pop music at its time related to its audiences because of the fact that its lyrics related to the emotions and aspirations of its artists and audiences. Pop artists such as Bribery Spears first became popular because she was able to relate to her young teen audience with lyrics such as, meres a girl in the mirror. Wonder who she is. Sometimes I think I know her. Sometimes I really wish I did. Theres a story in her eyes, lullabies and goodbyes. When shes looking back at me I can tell her heart is broken easily. With these lyrics, Bribery addressed the loss of identity and the heartbreak that many girls were experiencing at the time. These relatable lyrics are what allowed Bribery to gain and maintain her popularity. It was also the relatable lyrics of many pop punk bands that allowed their popularity to spread among a wide range of young audiences. As long as a teenager was able to identity#y with the emotions in a pop punk song, they became a fan of pop punk music. Major artists within this submerge include Blink 182, New Found Glory, Sum 41, Good Charlotte, and Green Day. They created music that took root in punk and added catchy melodies and sing-along choruses that made them pop friendlier. While more pop than their predecessors and idols, they remained punk in the heart (Oboe, 2011). These changes from the original form of punk rock are important because they are what enabled this genre of music to become popular. The captivating beats and lyrics that were similar to asss pop music are what drew attention to pop punk music. These artists had started as underground bands, but later became popular as they were featured on MET and radio stations.MET helped to promote many underground pop punk bands by featuring them on commercial breaks between shows and playing their music videos each morning during MET Jams on which they play featured artists music videos. MET also helped to remote many pop punk bands by interviewing them during MET News and airing their interviews. These three factors helped many bands gain popularity among the young audiences that watched M TV. Overtime, pop punk has become increasingly popular. Nation wide tours that allow the bands to travel and perform together have begun to create a scene for pop punk.The bands have begun to not only tour together but to also collaborate on music and feed off of each others ideas when producing music. Vans, a popular shoe company, sponsors the Vans Warped Tour which encompasses about 40 pop punk bands playing on different stages ring one day. This tour has led to widespread popularity of pop punk bands because it has raised awareness to this genre of music and created a larger audience for it. By introducing artists who are not well known, Vans Warped Tour has helped introduce artists to their to-be fans.Pop punk music has also gained popularity through promotion in magazines. One magazine in particular, Alternative Press (AP), has helped multiple bands gain recognition by featuring them on their cover. Because AP magazine is one of the very few to talk about this submerge Of music, it has become closely associated with it ND pop-punk becomes a lot of what lands on the pages of the magazine (Oboe, 2011). The in depth interviews and reviews with bands that are provided by AP Magazine have helped to promote several pop punk bands and help bring their music to light.The magazine also has its own tour, the AP Tour, which has helped to make this submerge of music more popular. In conclusion, pop punk is a musical genre that was developed from the growing popularity of punk rock music. As people began to accept the punk scene, they also began to relate to the music that it was incorporated with. Due to the widespread acceptance of emotions and family issues, the matters addressed in pop punk lyrics not only changed over time but also became increasingly popular .

Typhoid Fever essay

Typhoid Fever essay: Introduction: Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection of the intestinal tract and occasionally the bloodstream, and is from the Salmonella species. Risk of infection is greatest for travellers to developing countries who will have prolonged exposure to potentially contaminated food and beverages. Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection of the intestinal tract and occasionally the bloodstream. Symptoms: Fever as high as 103Â ° to 104Â ° F (39Â ° to 40Â ° C), Severe headache, Insomnia, Nose bleeding, Either diarrhoea or constipation, Weakness, Stomach pains, Loss of appetite, A rash, Chills, Sore throat, And in some cases, rose coloured spots may appear. Preventive Measures, Isolation of infected person, usually only people who cant control their need to go to the toilet, eg: babies, and some disabled people, Personal Hygiene, Hand washing before eating, Clean and careful food preparation, Drink safe water, Safe Water, Sanitation. If you drink water, buy it bottled or bring it to boil for 1minute before you drink it. Bottled carbonated water is safer than uncarbonated water. Ask for drinks without ice unless the ice is made from bottled or boiled water. Avoid icypoles and flavoured ices that may have been made with contaminated water. Eat foods that have been thoroughly cooked and that are still hot and steaming. Avoid raw vegetables and fruits that cannot be peeled. Vegetables like lettuce are easily contaminated and are very hard to wash well. When you eat raw fruit or vegetables that can be peeled, peel them yourself. (Wash your hands with soap first.) Do not eat the peelings. Avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. It is difficult for food to be kept clean on the street, and many travellers get sick from food bought from street vendors. Bread is safest when served fresh from the oven. Avoid moist grain dishes (like rice) that have been allowed to sit at room temperature for long periods of time. Don'...

Top 10 States With the Highest Voter Turnout

Top 10 States With the Highest Voter Turnout Presidential candidates spend lots of time campaigning in states that hold the most electoral votes and where there are lots of swing voters  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ states such as Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.   But campaigns also spend considerable time strategizing about which voters to appeal to, and where turnout is historically highest. Why bother campaigning in a place where only a small portion of voters will end up going to the polls? So, which states have the highest voter turnout? Where is voter participation greatest in the United States? Here a look based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of note: Five of the 10 states with the highest voter participation are blue states or those that tend to vote Democratic in presidential, gubernatorial and congressional elections. Four of the 10 states listed below are red states or those that tend to vote Republican. And one state, Iowa, is evenly split between Republicans and Democrat. Minnesota Minnesota is considered a blue state, or one that tends to vote Democratic,  Since 1980, 73.2  percent of the voting-age population there  has cast ballots in the nine presidential elections, according to the Census Bureau. Minnesota voters are, by far, the most politically active in the United States. Wisconsin Like Minnesota, Wisconsin is a blue state. Over the course of the nine most recent presidential elections, the median voter participation was 71.2 percent, according to the Census. Maine This  Democratic-leaning state has had a voter-participation rate of 69.4 percent from the 1980 presidential election through the 2012 presidential election. District of Columbia The nations capital is heavily Democratic in voter registration. Since 1980, 69.2 percent of the voting-age population in Washington, D.C., has cast ballots in the nine presidential elections, according to the Census Bureau. Mississippi This  solidly Republican southern  state has seen 68 percent of its voters participate in presidential elections, according to Census surveys. South Dakota South Dakota is a red state. Its voter participation rate in presidential elections is 67.8 percent.   Utah Roughly the same portion of  voters head to the polls in  Utah, another red state, for presidential elections. Its median participation rate in the nine most recent elections  is 67.8 percent. Oregon Just over two-thirds, or 67.6 percent of voting-age adults, has participated in presidential elections in this blue Pacific Northwest state since 1980. North Dakota This red state has seen 67.5 percent of its voters go to the polls in presidential elections. Iowa Iowa, home of the famous Iowa Caucuses, boasts a voter-participation rate of 67.4 percent in presidential elections. The state is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. A note about the data: The voter participation rates are derived from information collected by the U.S. Census Bureau every two years as part of its  Current Population Survey. We used  median participation rates for voting-age populations by state for the nine presidential elections  in 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE B PLAYERS - ARTICLE REVIEW

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE B PLAYERS - REVIEW - Article Example This group does not outshine everyone in the company’s line of duty but packs tremendous knowledge, experience, and ability for saving a company’s future from crises and other performance-based issues. The B Players are not made and neither can they be destroyed. These Players exist in three levels: former A Players, Truth Tellers, and Go-to-Managers. As former A Players, these have the experience and toughness to outshine all the players within the company but they choose to move from the spotlight. As truth tellers, they identify the number of issues that face the company and project it to the authorities capable of strategizing factors to pull the company from financial or performance deficits. As Go-to-Manages, B Players are faced with consultation duties related to the company’s operations and norms. When a company finds itself in performance or financial turmoil, the B Players structure the entity for consultation as their knowledge and experience with comp any process makes them an asset to the company. Managers are provided with a manual-style approach on how to nurture B Players. In a company, most employees are faced with the urge to become top players but their ambitions may pay off or fail, therefore, breaking their morale. However, for B Players, management is urged to accept differences, give the gift of time, hand out the prizes, and give choices. Data Analysis and Opinion: Different players within a company have different goals and mission about their careers and purposes at the company. The business world functions on a 24/7 basis and incorporates players with varying ambitions. A Players are more concerned on how to work their way to the top – their mission is to find out what is good for ‘brand me’. B Players on the other hand, focus their potential for what is good for the company. With this variance, it has been noted that, companies do not, in most cases recognize the efforts or the role of B Players . For example, a company will always give incentives and bonuses to those employees that perform beyond the expectations of many. This is the reason some companies have the employee-of-the-year awards. This awarding system is a way of recognizing talent or skill but also a way of isolating other important players within the company. In this case, if it were the will of every employee to work towards nourishing individual talent and skills, companies would have no one concerned about their long term performances. Various people work for varying reasons; some work to be promoted, some need good pay, and others need to be managers. However, when it comes to the myth that everyone is equal or similar to the other, a line is drawn. Leaders within a company always assume that all people want the same things – money, power, and status – out of their organizations. However, evidence shows that some people are more focused on influencing others in their jobs. For those not worr ied about individual performance or excellence are considered B players – their duty is to influence change on a company-wide scope. However, while this is the fact, management in different companies tends to overlook the importance and purpose of being a B Player. B Players are not different from A Players because they possess the same or even higher level of intelligence. Achievement has been identified as a blend of personality, intelligence, and

ASDA expansion to KSA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ASDA expansion to KSA - Essay Example The report includes the findings and challenges faced in compilation of the report. Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Table of Contents 2 1.0.Introduction: 3 1.1.What Should Be Considered and How 4 1.2.Saudi Arabia Overview and PESTLE Analysis: 4 1.2.1.KSA PESTLE Analysis 5 1.2.2.Political analysis 5 1.2.4.Social and Cultural Analysis 6 1.2.5.Technological Analysis 6 1.2.6.Legal Analysis 6 1.2.7.KSA Business Environment Analysis 7 4.0.Market Entry Strategy 9 5.0.Marketing Mix and Product Adaptation and Development 11 6.0.Conclusion 12 Appendix: Clients Preference for Different Supermarkets. 13 Works Cited 14 ASDA Expansion Plan to KSA 1.0. Introduction: Companies are increasingly becoming globalized. The main reasons why companies opt to expand their operations to a global level include increasing their sales due to availability of new markets, acquisition of new resources which could be domestically unavailable or expensive, opportunity to diversify business operations, minimiza tion of competition, and a possible opportunity to minimize tax deductions. Expanding business to a global level results in growth of operation and thus requires coming up with a different plan to facilitate the transformation of the business premise from local dealings to global ones. The plan should be dependent on the kind on business in question since different business has different ways of operating (Alpen Capital, 2011). While seeking to expand business operations globally, it is vital to develop an expansion plan, which should include market research to ensure that your company has a proper understanding of the market conditions in the new nation thus develop ways to adopt to the different government policies, technologies, laws and competition (Luo, 1999). In the past, globalization mainly involves large companies. However, retail businesses are continually becoming interested in globalization. A good example is the supermarket retails such as Tesco and ASDA found in UK and have currently expanded their operations to other regions, which have resulted in increased sales and profits. KSA is one of the nations that many companies are eyeing due to the readily available market (Business Monitor International, 2012). This study focuses on a plan that ASDA, a UK based retail supermarket, could adopt to expand its market and venture into KSA. ASDA Stores Ltd.  is a supermarket chain with headquarters in UK, which sells food, general merchandise, clothing, toys in addition to offering financial services. Additionally, ASDA owns a mobile telephone network called ASDA mobile. This study aims at analyzing the market conditions in KSA by exploring the following aspects: A market plan that ASDA can use to expand its market into KSA ASDA background The appropriate mode of entry into the market Marketing mix and Product adaptation and development 1.1. What Should Be Considered and How Before deciding to expand the market into KSA, it is important that ASDA carry vigorous research on the market situation in since global expansion process is often a risky choice faced by challenges. However, carrying out a prior research helps in coming up with ways to counteract the challenges. For ASDA to be in a position to triumph in KSA, it is import

Cultural Adjustment :: essays papers

Cultural Adjustment "An analysis of cultural shocks" Coming to America was one of my dreams, so I started working on it and after completing collage, I received the visa for the States and bought the ticket to come to America. I was a little bit confused because I had been hearing about America since my childhood. There is a huge cultural difference between my society and the modern society of the States, and because of these differences, my friends and I faced some problems after coming here. These problems are commonly called cultural shocks. By analyzing the differences between America and my own country of Pakistan, in the areas of gender roles, family, marriage and celebrations, one can see how cultural shocks occur. Since my birth, I have been living in a society where the men and women are not all to interact with each other as over here. It is one of the biggest differences in my culture and the culture here. There are usually separate classes for girls and boys in my society, but over here, there is no concept of this. In addition, I know you will surprise to earn that having a boyfriend for a girl or a girlfriend for a boy is a difficult achievement. In my society there is a joint family system, the children live together with their parents whether they are under 18 or not. Over here, there is a concept of "individualism". Every one has an individual life, making their own decisions for every thing. Here, a person over 18 living with his parents is considered an immature person. In my culture, a person not living with his parents doesn't have a respectable place in the society, because it is our social and religious custom to take care of our parents. Divorce is common here, but in my society it's not good to even think about it. People are divorced, but not as commonly as over here. For example, among every 100 married people, perhaps just one is divorced, but over here out of hundred, about fifty are divorced or separated. Also, some couples live together without a legal marriage. One day, I went to a wedding ceremony with my uncle .It was one of his friends' weddings. I just sat there, wondering when the people would sing songs and when the lunch would start, but after kissing each other, my uncle's friend and his wife went on a long drive in their car with a poster on the back saying, "Just got married". It was really surprising for me to attend a wedding like this, because in my culture,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Essay

Teen deaths for any reason are tragic losses of life and potential. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five teenagers in the U.S. seriously considers suicide annually, and approximately 1,700 die by suicide each year. Both the CDC and the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) point out that suicide rates for teens have tripled since 1960 — making it the third leading cause of adolescent death and the second cause among college students. Yet, according to the American Psychological Association, teen suicide is preventable, and they identify possible warning signs. They also note that more than 90 percent of suicide deaths are from mental illness and substance-abuse disorders. Not letting facts stand in their way, activist groups continue to claim, based on a flawed 1989 study that has been completely discredited, that 30 percent of all teens who attempt suicide are homosexuals. Instead, teen suicide reports from the major psychological and pediatric associations either do not even mention sexual identity or mention it near the bottom of a long list of other risk factors associated with teen suicide. Other teen suicide factors — family breakup through divorce, alcohol or drug abuse, and family dysfunction — are mentioned in all the major health organization publications as main factors in teen suicide. Research from Columbia University Medical Center, published in APAM, cites different reasons for girls’ and boys’ suicides. The researchers collected data from over 8,000 students in New York City high schools in 2005. For females, recent dating violence is a primary cause of attempted suicide. For teen males, a lifetime history of sexual assault is associated with suicide attempts. Dr. Elyse Olshen, lead researcher for the study, reported that girls who have been physically abused by a boyfriend are 60 percent more likely to attempt suicide than those who have not. For boys, sexual abuse over an extended period of time is more likely to be the determining factor for male teen suicide. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) identified the strong risk factors for teen suicide as depression, alcohol, or drug abuse and aggressive, disruptive behaviors. They also mentioned family loss, instability, and unplanned pregnancy. Suicidal teens, they reported, feel alone, hope less, and rejected and are especially vulnerable when they have experienced a loss, humiliation, or trauma, such as poor grades, breakup with boyfriend or  girlfriend, argument with parents, parental discord, separation, or divorce. The APA declared that 53 percent of young people who commit suicide are substance abusers. NMHA identifies feelings of anger and resentment and the inability to see beyond a temporary situation as the main factors in teen suicide attempts. KidsHealth quotes Dr. David Sheslow, a pediatric psychologist, who identifies drugs and alcohol as leading causes of suicide in teens. Further, KidsHealth reports, â€Å"A teen with an adequate support network of friends, family, religious affiliations, peer groups or extracurricular activities may have an outlet to deal with his everyday frustrations. A teen without an adequate support network may feel disconnected and isolated from his family and peer groups. It’s these teens who are at increased risk for suicide.† Other problems identified by KidsHealth are divorce, alcoholism of a family member, domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, repeated failures at school, substance abuse, and self-destructive behavior. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry publishes a fact sheet about teen suicide. Causes they list? Stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty, fears about growing up, divorce, formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, and moving to a new community. They clearly identify suicide feelings as a â€Å"mental disorder.† The American Academy of Pediatrics, in their publication about preventing teen suicide, identifies the â€Å"long term impact of child abuse† as the leading cause of attempted suicides among women. They emphasize the greater pressures of modern life, competition for grades and college admissions, and increased violence in the media as contributing factors. They also cite the lack of parental involvement because of divorce, parents’ work schedules, and limited family life. One study reported that 90 percent of suicidal teenagers believed that their families do not understand them. Viewing teen suicide through the distorted, single-vision lens of the homosexual activists puts large numbers of teens at risk. Those who insist that the problem of teen suicide is primarily among teens who struggle over their sexual identity overlook the vast majority of potential teen suicide victims — those who have other emotional or psychological issues, those who abuse drugs and other substances, and especially those who have suffered sexual violence and abuse. The problems of emotionally and physically battered teens must be  faced and their minds and bodies healed; otherwise, the rate of teen suicides will continue to rise. Janice Shaw Crouse, Ph.D. is executive director and senior fellow of Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute.