Thoughts After Visiting a Mall

I was made to go to the mall this afternoon, after watching the end of the Open Championship. The five of us (myself, plus my parents, sister, and sister's friend) walked around for a couple hours, and then caught the 4 PM showing of 'The Devil Wears Prada,' a sappy, modestly entertaining comedy. Anyway, whenever I am at a mall, I leave feeling less confident of the moral fortitude of my fellow Americans. Two sights were of particular outrage.

First, a woman of about 25, wearing a black tee shirt woth the famous PLAYBOY Bunny on the front. This alone is not really an outrage, however, the combination of a less-than-centerfold-quality figure and four young children in tow was most rather distressing. I don't mean to condescend the overweight--after all, I am no hunk of a youth myself--but I am thoroughly disappointed in those who choose to wear a symbol which, in maternity, connotes a very distinct irresponsibility and evokes a certain concern from onlookers. Three of this woman's four children were girls. Will they follow in her muddy footstep? Will she bestow upon them the wantonness that inspires her to admire the unattainable standard of superficial beauty? I should hope not, but I am unsure.

Second, a girl no older than myself wearing a tee shirt saying, in formal script, "Looking for a cowboy for a midnight rodeo". I coughed aloud when I saw this, taken aback. The fact that the 1st Amendment is abused in such a way by tee shirt companies upsets me, but to see a girl of approximately my age wearing it stuns me. Were it legal, would she sell herself into prostitution? I'd imagine this is probably not so, but then what kind of message does such a phrase send? What does she want to prove by wearing it? That her parents can't kep her from being an individual? The notion of sex at a relatively young age does not bother me at all, but such blatant suggestion is disconcerting.

Is it the mall? Does the prospect of seeing a large number of unknown people lower one's inhibitions? All I know is that there is an intersection between free speech and public decency. The aforementioned young women did not see and STOP sign, for sure.