Posted on 11/05/2003 7:27:31 AM PST by journey7873
A Sad Day for Artistic Freedom
...Barbra Streisand
I am deeply disappointed that CBS, the network that in 1964 gave me complete artistic control in creating television specials, now caved in to right wing Republican pressure to cancel the network broadcast of the movie The Reagans. (And I say MOVIE - because this is NOT a documentary - it's a television drama.) The movie will now be aired on Showtime, where the difference in viewership is in the millions.
One can only imagine the kind of pressure that would compel CBS to take such an extraordinary action. This was an organized Republican spin machine at work. Remember the Dixie Chicks controversy? It wasn't the larger general public that called in to radio stations and burned CDs, it was a small group of right wing activists. In fact, now the band is more popular than ever, with a sold out summer tour.
I don't believe Democrats often, if ever, try to muscle the First Amendment like this. For example, in 1983, no one stopped NBC from airing Kennedy, a biopic that portrayed President Kennedy and other members of his family and administration as deeply flawed, even though the movie could have potentially been hurtful to Jackie Kennedy, who was still alive to see it, as well as to her children.
This is censorship, pure and simple. Well, maybe not all that pure. Censorship never is. Due to their experience with the restrictive English government, the framers of our constitution specifically included a ban on prior restraint in the First Amendment, which is an attempt to stop information from getting out there before the public has a chance to see it at all - exactly what is going on in this case. Of course, CBS as a company has the legal right to make decisions about what they do and do not air. However, these important decisions should be based on artistic integrity rather than an attempt to appease a small group of vocal dissidents. Indeed, today marks a sad day for artistic freedom - one of the most important elements of an open and democratic society.
Well, there is one more nail in the coffin of CBS. Even if I had any doubts of their liberal leanings, I am not now!
Clinton's misbehavor was because he grew up with an abusive father (I kid you not, this is really what they said in the docmentary) No mention, of course, of Juanita Broderick.
One great thing about this whole affair is the renewed airing, in the news, about President Reagan the person. Even with the Reagan's anniversary, more is being said about his accomplishments and what he stood for, than would have been if this fiasco hadn't come up. This is great for those who came after Ronald Reagan and don't know him.
Unfortunately, no. They would have lost had this monstrosity aired as written. The backlash would have knocked them back to the heyday of Ronbo's popularity.
Now, they'll forever be able to claim that they were censored and that the truth was suppressed. Six months from now, nobody except Freepers and a few others will remember the truth. We should have let them hang themselves instead. That's always the most effective means of getting rid of your enemies.
BS!
An essential part of 'political correctness' is the obligatory dialectic.
Bwahahahaha!! OK, coffee, monitor, you know the drill... :-)
"I'm ready for my close-ups, Mr. DeMille."
Who's Nora Desmond Bahbah Streisunk?
No, I think this is the best of both worlds -- we caved in the leftist suits at CBS, and the unmodified hatchet job will be on Showtime, but now it's tainted goods. And I for one plan to drop Showtime from my cable package right after it airs.
They are both deeply full of it!
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