Controversial Issues In Good Times

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Good Times is an American sitcom that starred a poor, African-American family, the Evans, living in the projects of south side Chicago in the 70s. The show followed the everyday lives of the family as Florida and James Evans raised their three children-- Thelma, JJ, and Michael. Good Times touched on real controversial issues of the time with humor from an African-American standpoint. Topics such STD’s among young people, gun violence, crime, adoption and many more were subjects brought to the homes of fans. It has been nearly 40 years since Good Times last aired, and the problems addressed on the show are still prevalent today. These matters have remained of concern over the years and although progress has been initiated there is still a long road towards improvement in society through change. First, in the episode “J.J in Trouble”, Florida and James go out of town for the weekend. While they are gone, JJ, Michael, and Thelma are to keep the house in order. JJ …show more content…

Guns kept in the home are more likely to cause unintentional or intentional deaths or harm than to be used for self-defense. Having a gun in the home gives easy access to children to hurt themselves or someone else like in the exemplifying episode. Although the ownership of guns have gone down today in comparison to the 70s, gun violence continue to be active causes of deaths particularly among blacks. Numerous major crimes committed with the use of firearms have led to modifications of current gun laws. In conclusion, Good Times brought contentious issues to the homes of Americans in the 70s. Good Times was not afraid to shine light on the controversial problems in the nation. The show helped to bring real concerns of the time to context. The show was relatable not only to blacks but to anyone that watched. By doing so, Good Times may have contributed to the awareness of STDs, gun violence and other topics on the

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