TV sex is new battleground of divided US

[livinginphotographs]

http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1350946,00.html

The ceasefire did not last long. Even as political leaders made noises about uniting a divided nation, America's 'values warriors' lost no time in heading back to the front line of the culture wars.

-snip-

The drama has upset a conservative lobby group, the American Family Association, which has rallied tens of thousands of supporters to bombard with protests the firms that advertise during the show. So far five companies, including Kelloggs, have withdrawn their adverts, a trend that is expected to continue.

Emboldened by the re-election of President George Bush, the group is stepping up its policing of the airwaves. 'The election has awakened a sleeping giant,' said AFA president Tim Wildmon.

Bush isn't the only one with a "mandate."

[Eric J in MN]

1. This is a battle conservatives will keep losing.

There is too much money to be made from sexy television for letters from conservatives to do much.

[JI7]

4. especially since they are some of their biggest consumers

[Fovea]

2. Goodbye Kellogg

I will miss the corn flakes.

[tomreedtoon]

3. And what did Spielberg say about this?

The right wing is saying that "Saving Private Ryan" is obscene because it gives an ugly picture of war, when we're in the middle of one, right?

All right. What is the director who is most responsible for this movie saying?

Is Spielberg defending himself and his choices? Is he laying low because he doesn't want to alienate the financial people who pay for his movies?

I understand the desire of TV stations to keep off Powell's license challenge list; that happened in my town, and it was the decision of the megacorp that owns the station for not running the movie. Okay. But if Spielberg doesn't want to defend his own movie, and the statement made in it, the next step will be people seeking to send HIM to the concentration camp in Cuba.

[Eric J in MN]

5. Spielberg didn't make the movie for broadcast tv.

If some stations don't want to show it, that's nothing he needs to be involved with.

[livinginphotographs]

6. I agree.

Unfortunately, his speaking out would just turn into another "Hollywood-liberal" smear job.

I'm getting to the point where I don't even feel like fighting against the ignorance anymore. Fuck it: let the Bush-voters and "family" councils turn our country into a glorified Leave-it-to-Beaver-land. I'll be in Canada long before that happens.