Censorship in the USA

[jjiimmyyt 0]

An episode of South Park was pulled from Comedy Central the other night due to pressure put upon them by a member of the board of Viacom, Comedy Centrals parent company, after contact from the Catholic League.

Whilst not the best ever epsiode it was quite funny and had some interesting things to say about AA and self disciplne.

Full details here http://www.defamer.com/hollywood/south-park/bloody-mary-episode-ensures-south-park-guys-a-bungalow-in-hell-145774.php

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

[funjumper101 15]

Ford Motor Company recently received a "backbone check" related to where they were placing advertisements for their products.

It seems that some of the so-called "christian" organizations weren't happy with them for placing car ads in publications that cater to homosexuals. These so-called "christian" organizations threatened a boycott of Ford products.

FMC initially chickened out and cancelled the ad campaign. I guess that FMC ran the numbers and figured out that ignorant christian bigots (ICBs) probably buy less cars than homosexuals. Once FMC figured out the numbers they magically re-grew a backbone and revived the ad campaign.

I don't believe that FMC was motivated by anything other than the almighty dollar.

Censorship is alive and well in the USA. At the moment the ICBs have a lot of power. The pendulum will start back in the other direction in due time. The sooner, the better.

[unformed 0]

Corporate self-censorship is completely different from government censorship.

There's nothing wrong with a corporation not placing ads in one place because they fear a backlash. After all, they are liable to their stockholders, and them ONLY. I would be very surprised if a major corporation did anything that was not based 100% on profit.

Even things like donations and public service are not done to actually help people. They are done as 1) an ad campaign and 2) to look good.

It's all about the bottom line.

Now, if the government were to start censoring, that's a a whole different story.

This ad space for sale.

[AlexCrowley 0]

Everyone knows that Volvo's are the chosen automobile of homosexuals.

and japanese little sports car wannabes.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[MooChooser 0]

When I was living out in the states I was shocked at the level of censorship you guys have over there.
Its bordering on insane.

One instance that sticks in my mind was in The Matrix. The part where Keanu says "ill give you the finger and you give me my phone call" was dubbed to say flipper instead of finger. WTF?

[lawrocket 3]

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if the government were to start censoring, that's a a whole different story.

Sigh. It's happened and will continue to happen, and anyone who speaks out against censorship will be called a right wing bigot. Janice Rogers Brown, formerly of the California Supreme Court, had those attacks levied against her because she thought that banning racist words was a prior restraint of free speech, and tha instead of banning the words, the victims should sue the asses off of the speakers.

Here it is: Aguilar v. Avis Rent-a-Car (1999) 21 Cal.4th 121.

http://lw.bna.com/lw/19990810/s054561.htm

In that case, the California Supreme Court affirmed an order that created a list of banned of derogatory words in the workplace. As Justice Mosk wrote in his dissent, "I feel equally strongly that we cannot use the instrumentality of the courts to penalize speech before we know what was said, to whom, and with what effect."

I'd suggest you all read this case to see what's going on in terms of rights of free-speech. The California Supreme Court plurality actually supports the banning of words and creation of criminal liability for use of the words before they are even said.

Here's a rant from another post I made:

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Hated neocon Janice Rogers Brown is despised by the left because she stands up for freedom of speech. FYI - that decision by the court that Brown dissented so feverishly was where the court actually approved of BANNING WORDS! Yep, read the decision. The court actually said it's okay to ban racist words, and the lower court actually created a list of words that could not be said or the speaker would go to jail!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! CENSORSHIP OF SPECIFIC WORDS! And who argued on behalf of it? That's right - an amicus brief by the ACLU! Yep! You heard right. And liberal judges BANNED SPEECH! BANNED IT!

And Janice Rogers Brown is so detested because she thinks banning speech is WRONG and UNCONSTITUTIONAL! No matter how bad the speech is (note that she said in her opinion that the speaker of this speech should get his ass sued off for money damages, but that prior restraint of speech is ludicrous).

DOn't go thinking that censorship isn't happening. In pursuit of the goal to end racism, censorship is applauded, and those who oppose censorship are detested.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[dropoutdave 0]

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Everyone knows that Volvo's are the chosen automobile of homosexuals.

Hahahahaha

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May Contain Nut traces......

[sundevil777 102]

I know you're not from Germany, but they ban certain speech and even symbols related to their past.

That is real censorship.

The rating restrictions on broadcast TV at certain hours of the day may well be silly in their detail application, but it is hardly censorship worth the description, "bordering on the insane".

Quite a difference.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 102]

Quote

Ford Motor Company recently received a "backbone check" related to where they were placing advertisements for their products.

It seems that some of the so-called "christian" organizations weren't happy with them for placing car ads in publications that cater to homosexuals. These so-called "christian" organizations threatened a boycott of Ford products.

FMC initially chickened out and cancelled the ad campaign. I guess that FMC ran the numbers and figured out that ignorant christian bigots (ICBs) probably buy less cars than homosexuals. Once FMC figured out the numbers they magically re-grew a backbone and revived the ad campaign.

I don't believe that FMC was motivated by anything other than the almighty dollar.

Censorship is alive and well in the USA. At the moment the ICBs have a lot of power. The pendulum will start back in the other direction in due time. The sooner, the better.

A company choosing with whom they associate is hardly censorship.

Like when people advocate to eliminate subsidies for the National Endowment for the Arts because of some of the awful things they have sponsored, or the government subsidy of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, that is labeled as censorship by liberals.

It most certainly is not censorship, it is just advocating the removal of support from tax dollars.

Why is it that public radio and TV still gets away with the claim that they are non-commercial? They have lots of commercials, with slogans and everything. Somehow they still claim purity and freedom from corporate influence. Just because their commercials are shorter than most doesn't make them any less a commercial.

edit - I love South Park, great social commentary! I wouldn't want it to be on broadcast TV at 4 PM though.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[SkyDekker 1,465]

The American Public broadcasting system is absolutely laced with censorship, both on tv and in radio. There is a complete government organization in place to monitor and regulate what is broadcast. How could you not call that censorship?

[Amazon 7]

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How could you not call that censorship?

Its only censorship when you do not agree with what is being censored. Its very easy for the puritanical elements of the right to get righteous indignation over Janet Jacksons boob on TV.... or not allowing even pictures of American caskets comign back from the Middle East... Yet showing pictures of burned and mutilated humans from the same war is fair game and is celebrated.

[sundevil777 102]

What limits the gov't puts on broadcast TV is certainly censorship.

It is still a very trivial censorship, given that it only applies to broadcast TV, so I hardly think it is worth much protest. There were only slightly different limits of what was allowed before conservatives regained power.

The extent of Conservativephobia is showing.

If Amazon and others want to change the limits of what is allowed, such as less violence and more sex or whatever, they can avail themselves of the political process in support of that cause.

What programs a company chooses to sponsor is not censorship, in my opinion. Lobbying a company to change their choices is also not censorship, in my opinion.

Big Difference.

Sure wish I was jumping instead of posting....

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[SkyDekker 1,465]

I agree with you, I don't think it is a big deal. To me it also means that there is no such thing as free speech, just different levels of restrictions.

[sundevil777 102]

That implies you think that no restrictions at all would be preferred.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[skydyvr 0]

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To me it also means that there is no such thing as free speech, just different levels of restrictions.

The fact that broadcast TV is still regulated in the US is a poor measure of what kind of "free speech" rights we have.

The advent of cable, the Internet, and the video store down the street mean that any adult can consume just about any "free speech" fired garbage out there with no threat of censorship.

Edited to conclude: the regulation of broadcast TV (and radio) is evidence of what kind of media censorship we had 25 years ago, not what exists today.

. . =(_8^(1)

[kallend 2,027]

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The American Public broadcasting system is absolutely laced with censorship, both on tv and in radio. There is a complete government organization in place to monitor and regulate what is broadcast. How could you not call that censorship?

If you are brainwashed from birth to believe that you live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, there's a good chance that you will take that as an axiom. Then any and all evidence to the contrary will just be overlooked.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[cloudseeker2001 0]

Government and Big Business work very well together to get exactly what they want censored.

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"