Posted on 06/02/2005 1:17:06 PM PDT by freepatriot32
The Danger.
No bill has been introduced yet, but Senator Stevens has promised one, and when it arrives it is likely to come straight out of the Commerce Committee he chairs and move directly to a vote with little time for public comment. The time to act is now.
You can read more about this at...
Center for American Progress: Think Again: The New Content Commissars
Jammed.com: Transcript of Sen. Stevens' remarks on Internet "indecency" laws
DownsizeDC.org commentary
This bill would deny you the right to watch mature programming on cable TV for the sake of parents who are too lazy and irresponsible to bear the burden of doing their jobs as parents. Those parents who object to cable TV programming already have several ways to deal with this problem:
They can buy a reduced set of cable programming (this is the approach used by DownsizeDC.org President Jim Babka who has three children under 10).
They can no have cable at all, but rely on broadcast TV only (which is now heavily censored).
They can restrict cable to only one part of their house and not allow their children to watch TV there.
They can block cable channels they consider inappropriate for their children. But some parents, rather than take any of these responsible steps, want Congress to do their parenting for them, at the expense of everyone else who wants to be able to watch mature programming.
And, we might add, Congress has no constitutional authority for such censorship, something that should concern every American who still cares about constitutional legality.
Many Americans have excused broadcast censorship because the government supposedly owns the broadcast spectrum, but no such excuse exists here. Congress can make no claim to own cable networks, local cable providers, or even the TV sets in your home. They simply don't have the authority.
Why Take Action?
Please help us stop the growth of the nanny state.
Please help us stop the Congressional urge to turn the entire country into Disneyland.
Please help us preserve the benefits of adulthood. Please help us preserve the First Amendment.
Please don't reward the busy-bodies who think they know what's best for you and your family.
Please stop the political habit of using children as an excuse for extinguishing American freedom.
Please don't let Congress reward the whining of irresponsible parents who want others to do their job for them. To send your message to Congress opposing this censorship click here.
Ditto.....
There used to be a time when what is allowed on TV today would have been unacceptable in the past.
Exactly.
Look for a President Hildabeast to do exactly that, with an Executive Order.
You are correct since I didn't specify...but I was referring to content.
And the courts will most likely strike any new censorship laws down as they have in the past.
You'd think these politicians can't find more important issues to confront that people are actually concerned about. I guess the pressing problems of steroids in baseball is easier to deal with.
yawn
If cable companies don't want to offer affordable basic cable programming without all the smut, then ABSOLUTELY. Why does it have to be the "norm" for the smut rather than the other way around?
Sure, it's good for the soul. PURGE.
How true that is.
I always have to laugh at people like Bill O'Reilly (whom many on the left consider to be a "conservative"), who constantly invoke the "for the children" canard to justify all manner of government heavy-handedness.
Just like that other Bill who all us Freepers love to hate.
Ted Stevens is such a blowhard dinasaur. Government has no business telling the producers of my beloved "The Shield" what Vic is permitted to speak.
That guy is sick . . . peep-show booths, spitting on others, being completely homo for KISS, etc.
Howard who?
Don't be so sure. They let McCain/Feingold stand, which is a clear violation of the 1st Amendment.
Seems some people have yet to discover the wonders of the remote control.
Stern picked his fight, the idiot.
How long before "Rocco's Animal Trainer 17" takes the place of Sesame Street?
LOL! Today was funny, and now he is going after Stern's Cousin LOL!
I personally cannot stand toilet humor, but these "indecency" laws would be used to censor and destroy any show on TV that has any intelligence in them, for examples, sci-fi shows like Stargate SG-1, Atlantis, Battlestar G. and the anime that comes on Cartoon Network's adult swim.
So if you want more brain-dead reality TV television, just go ahead and support these "indecency" laws.
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