“A heavy smog”
[Rod Dreher  03/10 10:24 AM]

We’re trying to keep the discussion on topic, but every now and then I get a letter that I feel that I have to post, because it offers such a vivid picture of life as we live it in contemporary America. This one came in this morning from a semi-homeschooling mom, born-again Christian and organic-foods eater who lives in suburban New Jersey. She says she has been feeling increasingly alienated from American life:

My latest conflict has to do with the growing number of Christians who are selling out to the pop/porn culture, providing their children with TVs in their bedrooms, and video games to substitute for playmates. I was chagrined at the home schooling co-op we belonged to last year, where, during their spare time, the socialization of 7-12 year old boys consisted of sitting around watching each other playing Gameboys. At this year's co-op, the Gameboys stay home, but the discussions between children almost always center around video games they have or movies they've seen. It's not that my children never do these things, but I had always hoped it wouldn't be a focal point for them. Kids don't know what to talk about any more.

My paradigm shift (the intense desire to get out of here) was really set into motion after several disturbing things occurred recently: my son was exposed to pornography twice in his first grade classroom; the 8 year old neighbor boy showed him a poster of scantily clad women and when I mentioned it to the mom, she responded with, "So?" At our block party, a 13 year old boy, while eating a hot dog with some of the little boys in the neighborhood, opened his pants to display his "equipment" and continued to describe a porn flick to them. I drove up to my house one day and the work truck at my neighbor's house had the back open with pin-ups plastered to the back wall. Thankfully, my kids were safe inside the house. I was outside doing school with the kids one particularly beautiful day last spring and my neighbor, also enjoying the weather, was washing his truck, and had a talk show blasting on the radio with a constant stream of profane drivel spilling forth. I thought, my kids aren't even safe from the porn culture in their own yard. It's like a heavy smog in the air.

I am realizing, little by little, that I don't belong in suburban NJ and that there must be somewhere I would fit in better. It will probably involve a move out to PA since both our families are in the NJ area. I am looking forward to reading your book, and getting encouragement for my chosen path of resistance. As much as I have grown used to taking the road less traveled, it does feel so good when I run into the occasional crunchy con and can relax and freely be myself without excuse.