So this little tidbit hit the news yesterday:
So I'm very glad to see the courts start smacking them down over this. We'll most likely have to see how this plays out in the Supreme Court, of course (I have no faith in Bush's pet Justices, so I'm not holding my breath in hopes of all going well), but for now, at least someone seems to be speaking with the voice of reason here. What seems to be getting lost in this whole "discussion" is that adults watch television too, and may want to watch programming, sometimes, that isn't "good for the kids". But the morality cops won't have it, damnit!
My problem with all of this uproar is that it has little, if anything to do with what it pretends to be about. I don't believe for an instant that the leaders of the PTC honestly give a damn about "protecting the kids". These are the same morons that, 30 years ago, declared Bugs Bunny cartoons to be the most violent programming on TV. Their agenda, I maintain, has always been about getting the rest of the country to conform to their narrow standards of what is acceptable programming and what is not. But, since you can't tell adults what they can watch, and it's always safe to argue that "it's for the good of the kids", the Parents Television Council strives to make us live in a Teletubbbies world. (Or do they, what with Teletubbbies being gay and all that. With apologies to Jerry Falwell's spirit. Wherever it resides these days).
The PTC was, of course, quick to jump on this one, sending out one of their "save the family" alerts, with the wonderfully inflammatory "Court OKs F-Word In Front of Kids" heading. The email alert links to their site, where you can read all about this "gut-wrenching" decision and use the PTC's patented "spam the government" email campaign service to let the President, Congress and the FCC know just how fed up you really are.
So here's my thought… since the PTC have, so generously provided the email tool, with all the correct email addresses already populated… and they have graciously left both the subject line and body of the email 100% editable (they pre-populate the body of the email, but you can delete that copy and write your own letter of indignation, should you so choose), then I think it's time to take advantage of their generosity and send our own letters to their selected mailing list. Just head on over here (I know, it's the PTC website, so it's going to be tough. Be strong!) and scroll down the page till you get to the "Take Action" section of the page. Delete any pre-populated copy and write your own strongly-worded letter to the President, etc., letting them know that you're tired of the FCC, the PTC and morality police in general and that you're glad the Circuit Court of Appeals ruled as they did. At the very least, maybe it'll confuse the issue for the poor schlub who's gotta sift through all the incoming emails and file them away for 'later review'.
Court Rebuffs F.C.C. on Fines for IndecencyI, for one, couldn't be happier to see it. The FCC, egged on by the Bush Administration, "concerned" members of Congress and the narrow-minded a-holes from the Parents Television Council and other morality watchdog groups, has been on a tear in recent years, attempting to "make TV safe for children" or some such BS. It's a battle that's been raging for decades, but between idiot stunts like the infamous Janet Jackson nipple-baring Superbowl, the power of Internet "activism" (can it really be activism when it takes less than 30 seconds of your time, comfortably seated in front of your PC, to participate?) and the increasingly judgmental mindset that's apparently prevailing in this country, it's gotten much worse in the past few years.
So I'm very glad to see the courts start smacking them down over this. We'll most likely have to see how this plays out in the Supreme Court, of course (I have no faith in Bush's pet Justices, so I'm not holding my breath in hopes of all going well), but for now, at least someone seems to be speaking with the voice of reason here. What seems to be getting lost in this whole "discussion" is that adults watch television too, and may want to watch programming, sometimes, that isn't "good for the kids". But the morality cops won't have it, damnit!
My problem with all of this uproar is that it has little, if anything to do with what it pretends to be about. I don't believe for an instant that the leaders of the PTC honestly give a damn about "protecting the kids". These are the same morons that, 30 years ago, declared Bugs Bunny cartoons to be the most violent programming on TV. Their agenda, I maintain, has always been about getting the rest of the country to conform to their narrow standards of what is acceptable programming and what is not. But, since you can't tell adults what they can watch, and it's always safe to argue that "it's for the good of the kids", the Parents Television Council strives to make us live in a Teletubbbies world. (Or do they, what with Teletubbbies being gay and all that. With apologies to Jerry Falwell's spirit. Wherever it resides these days).
The PTC was, of course, quick to jump on this one, sending out one of their "save the family" alerts, with the wonderfully inflammatory "Court OKs F-Word In Front of Kids" heading. The email alert links to their site, where you can read all about this "gut-wrenching" decision and use the PTC's patented "spam the government" email campaign service to let the President, Congress and the FCC know just how fed up you really are.
So here's my thought… since the PTC have, so generously provided the email tool, with all the correct email addresses already populated… and they have graciously left both the subject line and body of the email 100% editable (they pre-populate the body of the email, but you can delete that copy and write your own letter of indignation, should you so choose), then I think it's time to take advantage of their generosity and send our own letters to their selected mailing list. Just head on over here (I know, it's the PTC website, so it's going to be tough. Be strong!) and scroll down the page till you get to the "Take Action" section of the page. Delete any pre-populated copy and write your own strongly-worded letter to the President, etc., letting them know that you're tired of the FCC, the PTC and morality police in general and that you're glad the Circuit Court of Appeals ruled as they did. At the very least, maybe it'll confuse the issue for the poor schlub who's gotta sift through all the incoming emails and file them away for 'later review'.
Comments
The Networks challenged on the arbitrary and capricious rule, and I think the ruling is right. But, it's not a constitutional question. They can scream freedom of speech all they want, the FCC hasn't threatened censorship (yet), and the network airwaves aren't free - they're owned by the government. So, I don't think this is EVER going to become a constitutional issue.
Now, the Supreme Court could listen to an appeal on the challenge, but the fact is the FCC rulings ARE arbitrary and capricious. This is the right call.
Q
I'll hope that you're right about the Court, too. Have to see how things fall out over the next couple of years before we'll have any real idea, I guess.