The Politics of Freedom
Forgive me... I try very hard not to talk about "weighty" social or political issues in this journal. I'm thinking about setting up another to do that but I've always tried to keep this one light.
That said, I've got to get this off my chest because I'm officially pissed off.
Here's a link to the article from MSNBC that set me off.
And here's the specific quote, from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin:
“You can always turn the television off and of course block the channels you don’t want,” he said, “but why should you have to?”
What? Look at that statement again because I think it tells more about the philosophy of the Bushies than anything I've seen. Here you have the FCC chairman, a person who was put in place to regulate free, over-the air television, advocating the censorship of pay cable TV, while brazenly admitting in his own argument that the cable industry has put in safeguards through parental locks to ensure parents can control what their children see.
So what does this tell us about an overall Bush Administration philosophy? Well, Bush appointed this moron, as well as his predecessor Michael "Disgrace to my Father" Powell, who melted down at Janet Jackson's boobs, less of which were visible than is seen on an average episode of "MTV Spring Break". So Bush bears full responsibility here. I can't vote for the FCC chairman so I'm taking out on someone (and probably getting myself barred from flying ever again as a "suspected terrorist.")
This one sentence tells me all I need to know. Broken down to its essence, it says "It doesn't matter what measures you take to police yourselves, until the entire television landscape fits our fundamentalist ideals, you will be under scrutiny."
Parental locks are really quite a brilliant tool. Television programmers assign their shows a "rating", you see it at the beginning of each broadcast. TV-PG, TV-M, etc. You then simply take 30 seconds to lock out anything above the rating you feel is inappropriate for your child. Simple. "But why should you have to?" asks our nimble-minded FCC chairman.
Well, Mr. Martin, pull up a chair. Class is in session.
You see, some of us less enlightened heathens in the world are not offended by swearing, breasts, or violence. Some of us know people have sex in real life (well, maybe not your parents, but certainly most of us), deal with violence, and hear cursing. Some of us don't want to watch The Sopranos if Tony has to tell Big Pussy (or I suppose that would be Big Elbow now, to avoid any sexual connotations) to "take that doggone gambler to the river. Today he gets baptized with the fishes".
But hey, I get where you're coming from. Sex is bad. Immorality is bad. And after all, we don't have anything else to worry about now that we've caught Osama Bin Laden...
I know I feel much safer in my home knowing that Cinemax won't be able to show "Lord of the G-Strings" anymore. I'm sure the unavailability of "Sex Trek 69: The Next Penetration" on our televisions will improve the sagging economy and restore lost jobs. I'm sure every one of those 2000 people who died in Iraq will get up and walk again if only we could rid the world of "Busty Cops".
Wow. I feel safer already....
-Gryph
"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one."
-Thomas Paine
NP: Trailer Park Troubadours: "Trailercana"
That said, I've got to get this off my chest because I'm officially pissed off.
Here's a link to the article from MSNBC that set me off.
And here's the specific quote, from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin:
“You can always turn the television off and of course block the channels you don’t want,” he said, “but why should you have to?”
What? Look at that statement again because I think it tells more about the philosophy of the Bushies than anything I've seen. Here you have the FCC chairman, a person who was put in place to regulate free, over-the air television, advocating the censorship of pay cable TV, while brazenly admitting in his own argument that the cable industry has put in safeguards through parental locks to ensure parents can control what their children see.
So what does this tell us about an overall Bush Administration philosophy? Well, Bush appointed this moron, as well as his predecessor Michael "Disgrace to my Father" Powell, who melted down at Janet Jackson's boobs, less of which were visible than is seen on an average episode of "MTV Spring Break". So Bush bears full responsibility here. I can't vote for the FCC chairman so I'm taking out on someone (and probably getting myself barred from flying ever again as a "suspected terrorist.")
This one sentence tells me all I need to know. Broken down to its essence, it says "It doesn't matter what measures you take to police yourselves, until the entire television landscape fits our fundamentalist ideals, you will be under scrutiny."
Parental locks are really quite a brilliant tool. Television programmers assign their shows a "rating", you see it at the beginning of each broadcast. TV-PG, TV-M, etc. You then simply take 30 seconds to lock out anything above the rating you feel is inappropriate for your child. Simple. "But why should you have to?" asks our nimble-minded FCC chairman.
Well, Mr. Martin, pull up a chair. Class is in session.
You see, some of us less enlightened heathens in the world are not offended by swearing, breasts, or violence. Some of us know people have sex in real life (well, maybe not your parents, but certainly most of us), deal with violence, and hear cursing. Some of us don't want to watch The Sopranos if Tony has to tell Big Pussy (or I suppose that would be Big Elbow now, to avoid any sexual connotations) to "take that doggone gambler to the river. Today he gets baptized with the fishes".
But hey, I get where you're coming from. Sex is bad. Immorality is bad. And after all, we don't have anything else to worry about now that we've caught Osama Bin Laden...
I know I feel much safer in my home knowing that Cinemax won't be able to show "Lord of the G-Strings" anymore. I'm sure the unavailability of "Sex Trek 69: The Next Penetration" on our televisions will improve the sagging economy and restore lost jobs. I'm sure every one of those 2000 people who died in Iraq will get up and walk again if only we could rid the world of "Busty Cops".
Wow. I feel safer already....
-Gryph
"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one."
-Thomas Paine
NP: Trailer Park Troubadours: "Trailercana"
posted by Gryphon at 7:59 AM
2 Comments:
Amen!
Oh for cripes sake! If THIS is how you write about political issues... write on! I might actually learn more from you than from CNN. At least I'll WANT to hear your argument.
Preach on, brother!
Post a Comment
<< Home