August 08, 2005
By Todd Shields
The Federal Communications Commission has hired as an advisor an anti-pornography activist and former lobbyist for groups that push for Christian precepts in public policy. The move may herald a reinvigorated campaign against broadcast indecency and bring renewed pressure on cable to reconsider its racy offerings.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001010563
My opinion: they want Jon Stewart's head. Why do I think that? And what, if anything, should we do about it?
My reasoning, basically:
There's no pressing need to throw red meat at the fundies right now, since they'll stay the course in any case, are probably the only people the WH can count on to keep the polls above 20 %. Secondly, all the grownups in BushCo really care about is the power to pillage & loot treasury & environment. But Junior can't take criticism, as we know, especially if it's hilarious, piercing, mobilizing and base-building for the D's. So, I bet you anything they're laying the groundwork for an all-out assault on political satire, masked with the same old family values song and dance. IOW, this is the bureaucratic equivalent of Wilson/Plame or Abramoff/DeLay. The point is to get them for profanity. "Douchebag Verboten!"
What action, if any, can we take? Writing letters to stand up for 'indecency' doesn't seem particularly fruitful. But perhaps we can demand equal time for the first amendment & urge the commission to hire an additional advisor, one who specializes in our constitutional right to freedom of expression.
I do believe we'd better do something. They're patient busy bees, they work for the long term and they really do seek to dominate every single facet of the public discourse.
So, what do you think? Are there more effective actions we can take?