Go Go Power Rangers!!!!

In class today, we discussed the different ways superheroes can be damaging to young boys. The hyper masculinity teaches boys that being tough is the only way to get what you want in life (which may be why nice guys finish last, but that's a different story). But the excessive violence shown in superhero movies, comic books, cartoon, etc. can be a very serious problem.

Now, like many boys my age, I was super big into Power Rangers. In fact, for a while, I actually wanted to be a Power Ranger. So to "prepare" myself to become one, I would run around my house imitating the fighting moves I had seen in the television show. It seemed like harmless fun at the time and everyone got a big kick out of it (no pun intended).

In kindergarten, there was a boy who used to pick on me because I was way shorter than the rest of my classmates. He used to push my down at recess, call me names, and all the other things a bully does. One day, I decided I had had enough of it. So when he pushed me down like he did everyday, I got up and grabbed his arm. I tried to flip him over like I had seen the Green Ranger do many times. But, because I was a tiny kindergartner, it did not work the way I planned. Instead, I just kinda twisted his arm. Disappointed that my "move" didn't work, I decided to karate chop him in the neck. Of course, he started to cry and I got sent to the principals office.

While talking with the principal, he asked me where I had picked up what I did to that boy. I told him I saw it on the Power Rangers. Needless to say, my mother was called and I didn't get to watch the show for a month.

It's hard to say whether or not I would have responded to his bullying the same way had I not watched the show, but you can't sit there and tell me that Tommy didn't teach me a thing or two about fighting.