Censorship

In general, I try not to get into anything polital in this space. But every once in awhile writing, the arts and politics collide.

President Bush announced this week that he would back legislation enforcing general broadcast decency standards on cable and satellite broadcasts. This would mean that when companies like HBO run a movie, it would be edited for t.v. just like it would for ABC. Likewise, shows like The Sopranos and even the award-winning specials like Angels in America would become almost impossible under these restrictions.

In a defensive move, Congressman Bernie Sanders of Vermont has proposed HR 1440, an act that would prohibit the goverment from regulating the content of cable and sattelite broadcasts, as well as the internet. His position is that customers pay specifically for the content provided by these services, and should not come under the control of the FCC.

I have little personal investment in this, since my cable channels are comprised wholly of TBS and MHZ. But censorship on any level bothers me. It all seems very unnecessary, especially when you consider technolgies like the V-Chip for television and Web Filters for the internet. But that's me.

Whatever your feelings, contact your Reprentatives and let them know how you feel about this issue.

Excelsior.