Protecting free speech on TV

Yesterday, I was doing some browsing online in respect to one of my favorite hobbies, television. As everyone probably is already aware, television plays big on the net, perhaps because some of us are already dedicated couch potatoes, and also because if nothing else, television is a good medium to veg out when the mood arises.

I came across a website called One Million Moms, at http://www.onemillionmoms.com. The site's premise is interesting, at the very least. It's a site for families to get together and start boycotting anything on television that they feel is inappropriate for family viewing. They seem to have some power--through their persistence, they have managed to have some sponsors pull out of different shows that they feel are not compatible with their views and ideals on what should, or should not, be on television, including on cable/satellite as well. They use the worth of the mighty dollar to make their wishes known, and it seems to be an effective deterrent to some television content.

Now, I love television with a passion, and have, most of my life. And while I think this group has its heart somewhere close to the right spot, I don't think that censoring the content of all television shows is the way to go. We have lived with censorship in the past, and letting one group dictate policy in this area only helps to squelch free expression in every facet of the arts.

Having said that, I think it's time we launched a counter-attack. It's called "The Off Switch." Too many people want to take the control of what people watch and force their wishes on the rest of us. They've done this in the past--they've bowdlerized movies on VHS and DVD by having a company remove all the "dirty" parts and make sanitized copies for their family viewing; they've caused several networks to remove programming from their regular lineup and moved them to their premium channels (the Reagan movie is the best example) and they've already convinced the world that a woman showing her breast at half-time is a horrible sin.

While I am not a parent, I do realize that some effort must be taken to keep certain materials away from young, impressionable children, because if nothing else, they are susceptible to suggestion far more than an adult who can separate reality and fantasy. But I do not feel this should be put on the government--it is, IMO, a parenting job, and should be treated at that level.

The so-called religious right has their hand in this giant pudding, and wants to condemn any and all things that they feel are influencing their children in bad ways. They condemn anything related to sex, but don't seem to see the connect between television and the ubiquitous violence they do let their children see. They do seem to have a "bit" of a problem with graphic violence, but they dismiss the majority of violence which is suggested instead of shown in a direct manner.

I have a hard time with the thought that someone, somewhere in our "free" country is trying to keep me from what I want to watch on televison in general. This is especially evident when we're talking about pay television, even if it's only basis channels, like FX, Sci-fi, USA or TNT. The fact that I pay for this service implies, to me, that I should be allowed to watch what I want since I am paying for the service.

So last night, I created a new web domain. It's not up and running yet, but I wanted to let people know that I am looking for people to help me get it started. I welcome people who want to write articles, share knowledge and help get it off the ground, including publicizing it to the point where "one million moms" are overshadowed by the "majority audience." The old Falwell "moral majority" junket is now what drives this group, and to counter it, we need to show that we are as powerful a force as they are, indeed, that we are the majority, unlike their assumptions that they are.

If anyone is interested, I would love to hear from people. If you want to write an article or two, or submit art, or just want to voice your opinion on what we should or shouldn't include, please send me a PM and I will be happy to hear from you all.

A few guidelines: the website is concentrating on television, but over time, it might expand to include computer games, and other areas where there is great discussion on restricting materials through pressure. I feel sometimes that parents who bitch about adult content want to remove the parental responsibility from themselves, and leave the government to the onus of regulating every facet of children's lives. The off-switch is still the best method to do this, but perhaps one discussion we can have is when do we stop "protecting" children from that kind of material, and let the children have some responsibility for the things they watch, play or see? There is a point where parents need to back off from censoring the material their children see, but to me, it's an arbitrary one, best decided by parents who know their children's sensibilities.

The new domain is http://www.majorityaudience.com. As I said, it's not up and running yet, but I want to hear from people, whether you have children or not. It's your chance to get involved, and a chance to write. People don't have to be best selling novelists or English professors, but I will do some editing for grammar and spelling if the need arises. People who are afraid to express their opinions need not worry--anyone who wants to write solely with a pseudonym are still welcomed--I only request that you tell me upfront you want to write under one.

If things get off okay, I know we will likely get some hell down the line. Well, we're seasoned DUers now, aren't we? Haven't our opinions been thoroughly discussed and taken apart molecule by molecule already? I'm not afraid of some controversy--we should not be afraid to discuss important issues, regardless of how others see us. There is already too much at stake with our right of free speech, and it's time to tell the rest of the world that we're not sissies, letting the immoral minority take our rights away from us.

Not only to give this a kick, but I found out something interesting.

It's a bit of a convoluted relationship, but I have found out that "One Million Moms" is owned by a vocal right-wing organization!

OMM is owned by American Family Association, which is affiliated with Townhall.com. In addition, AFA is OWNED by Donald Wildmon. A quick visit to their site made me cringe. I believe ownership runs deeper than that, but it's definitely a nasty truth to see how underhanded these bastards are! Is there anyone out there who can dig deeper into the connections with organized crime--er, radical religious rights groups with deep pockets and even deeper lies?