Mobile phone fines would help teach respect
My son came home from his second day of school with a homework assignment to define the word 'respect'. He asked me what I thought it meant and I said it was to follow direction and obey rules in order to show consideration for others. I also said it is easier to explain what respect is not.
Respect is not disregarding the request of theatre management to turn off mobile phones.
I have the right to expect that everyone who has purchased a ticket to any movie, at any theatre, at any time of the day has enough common courtesy and 'respect' for others to turn off their phones so everyone has the chance to watch the movie that they have paid for. I respect the others in the movie theatre and I have paid for the respect of everyone else.
How do I explain to my children that even though these rude people act as if rules aren't for them, my children need to obey? For once I would like to be able to take my children to a movie and not once hear someone's phone ring because they 'forgot' to turn it off.
Should management have ushers use their flashlights to point out those people whose phones ring and cause them embarrassment? What about the $5,000 fine for smoking in the theatres? That doesn't make anybody any money anymore, so how about imposing a fine for ringing phones? When your phone rings in a theatre you must pay each person at that movie $1 to reimburse those moments when your phone interrupted the movie.
THEA WHITE Happy Valley
