Freedom of expression -- available in select cities!
In case you didn't notice, last Thursday, November 11, was Veterans' Day.
In honor of the troops serving our country abroad, ABC decided to show the World War II film Saving Private Ryan, one of the most realistic portrayals of war in cinematic history, to its nationwide audience on Thursday night. To me, this seemed like a great idea. Saving Private Ryan is a great movie, and it seems to be a very appropriate Veterans' Day tribute, considering the situation our military faces today.
Unfortunately, five Academy Awards and all the critical acclaim in the world isn't enough to win the respect of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
FCC chairman Michael Powell (I apologize in advance if I accidentally interchange his name with "Satan") denied ABC a waiver this week that would have allowed them to air the film without fear of disciplinary action. As a result, dozens of ABC affiliates pulled the movie, afraid of being fined.
It's sad that because of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction," Bono's detonation of the dreaded F-bomb, and Howard Stern's collection of idiocy on parade that he has the nerve to call a "radio show," legitimate pieces of art like Saving Private Ryan are paying the price. The FCC's job is to protect us from hurtful or damaging forms of expression; they have no business intervening when it comes to a film that opens the American people's eyes to the truth. We're talking about a movie that teaches Americans a lesson that, in this day and age, we should all be required to learn: war is hell.
I'm not saying that Powell and his cohorts are the only ones to blame though. It's also troubling that there were so many ABC stations lacking the courage to stand up to the FCC and air the movie anyway.
Ray Cole, who runs three ABC affiliates in the Midwest, was quoted as saying "It would clearly have been our preference to run the movie. We think it's a patriotic, artistic tribute to our fighting
forces."
Unfortunately, nothing can be patriotic when it suppresses the truth, nor can it be artistic when it skews the artist's vision. In short, the airing of this film on Thursday night would have been a noble cause, but nobility and censorship just don't mix. And since there's no possible middle ground to take - Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg forbids networks from editing his work -- how do dozens of ABC stations react? By cancelling the movie entirely.
If any of these TV executives were truly patriotic, they would have aired the movie anyway, sending the message that their passion for their country is more important to them than any financial punishment. But no, they would rather air "Return to Mayberry" -- whatever that is -- during prime time on a Thursday night.
Just think... this is a nation in which freedom of expression is supposed to be a core value. But thanks to Michael Powell, a man who was appointed by a president supposedly elected for his "moral values" (don't get me started), we are instead a nation living in fear. Does this make anyone else depressed?
In honor of the troops serving our country abroad, ABC decided to show the World War II film Saving Private Ryan, one of the most realistic portrayals of war in cinematic history, to its nationwide audience on Thursday night. To me, this seemed like a great idea. Saving Private Ryan is a great movie, and it seems to be a very appropriate Veterans' Day tribute, considering the situation our military faces today.
Unfortunately, five Academy Awards and all the critical acclaim in the world isn't enough to win the respect of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
FCC chairman Michael Powell (I apologize in advance if I accidentally interchange his name with "Satan") denied ABC a waiver this week that would have allowed them to air the film without fear of disciplinary action. As a result, dozens of ABC affiliates pulled the movie, afraid of being fined.
It's sad that because of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction," Bono's detonation of the dreaded F-bomb, and Howard Stern's collection of idiocy on parade that he has the nerve to call a "radio show," legitimate pieces of art like Saving Private Ryan are paying the price. The FCC's job is to protect us from hurtful or damaging forms of expression; they have no business intervening when it comes to a film that opens the American people's eyes to the truth. We're talking about a movie that teaches Americans a lesson that, in this day and age, we should all be required to learn: war is hell.
I'm not saying that Powell and his cohorts are the only ones to blame though. It's also troubling that there were so many ABC stations lacking the courage to stand up to the FCC and air the movie anyway.
Ray Cole, who runs three ABC affiliates in the Midwest, was quoted as saying "It would clearly have been our preference to run the movie. We think it's a patriotic, artistic tribute to our fighting
forces."
Unfortunately, nothing can be patriotic when it suppresses the truth, nor can it be artistic when it skews the artist's vision. In short, the airing of this film on Thursday night would have been a noble cause, but nobility and censorship just don't mix. And since there's no possible middle ground to take - Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg forbids networks from editing his work -- how do dozens of ABC stations react? By cancelling the movie entirely.
If any of these TV executives were truly patriotic, they would have aired the movie anyway, sending the message that their passion for their country is more important to them than any financial punishment. But no, they would rather air "Return to Mayberry" -- whatever that is -- during prime time on a Thursday night.
Just think... this is a nation in which freedom of expression is supposed to be a core value. But thanks to Michael Powell, a man who was appointed by a president supposedly elected for his "moral values" (don't get me started), we are instead a nation living in fear. Does this make anyone else depressed?
posted by eclinchy at 7:49 PM
8 Comments:
I promote paying tribute to those soldiers who fight FOR America, and oppose respecting a symbol of the fight AGAINST America.
Not hypocritical at all.
will do klas
Wait, that didn't sound right. Insert a comma between "do" and "klas."
This seems to me to be purely common sense. The entire point of the Confederacy was to rebel AGAINST the United States, because they opposed the basic beliefs that went into the founding of this country.
I honestly don't see how you can think that fighting for a country is the same as fighting against it.
Really, how debatable is this?
Do you think it's more patriotic to avoid getting fined than to stand up in support of our troops? I'd call that question a no-brainer.
I'm not saying that patriotism is the one end-all solution to this dilemma, but seeing as how ABC has already pledged its patriotism, it seems fairly spineless of them to not follow through on their pledge.
As for the Ben thing, I'm not at all surprised. You're both moderates with a bit of Southern pride in ya... you have a lot more in common than you think.
Give me a break... I can't believe people cared so much about that.
"The entire point of the Confederacy was to rebel AGAINST the United States,"
Ummm, well, the objective of the Confederacy was indeed to rebel against the United States of the North, and to obtain financial equality. Because the North was oppressive with respect to taxing Southern imports and exports, the South's economy was unable to grow at a healthy rate. Then there's that whole slavery thing, which is indeed the main cause of the Civil War, but the point above is often overlooked.
"because they opposed the basic beliefs that went into the founding of this country."
I assume you're referring to slavery to make this case. In any event, this is irrelevant since the Northern states opposed these "basic beliefs" just as much, and really the vague precepts of our founding fathers will always be impossible to fully attain.
Just a historically minded individual piping in with some irrelevant opinions.
-Ben
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