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Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

Family Life: Forget political correctness, what about having manners?

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, and Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump both speak during a Republican presidential primary debate at The University of Houston, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, and Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump both speak during a Republican presidential primary debate at The University of Houston, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
photo Mark Kennedy

A normal election year would be a learning opportunity for kids.

But not 2016. At least, not yet.

When election news appears on television, I sometimes grab the remote and change the channel. I don’t want my 9-year-old son to watch.

It’s sad. When it comes to exercising parental discretion, politics is now right up there with sex and violence. Presidential primary campaigns have become too raw for kids.

And it’s almost impossible to teach a child good manners these days when our leaders have become a bunch of potty-mouthed bullies.