No More Sopranos, No More Chris Rock Op-Ed by Representative Bernie Sander

[Douglas Carpenter]

:bounce:

Tell President Bush and the right-wing Congress to get their hands off your remote

"Fast forward to January 2006. It's a Sunday night and 9 p.m. is fast approaching. You have a few friends over and the speculation is rampant about which characters won't survive this, the last season of The Sopranos. Your screen lights up as you hit the "on" button on the remote. The trumpeting sounds of the HBO original production theme music strikes up. And then . . . then . . . something must be wrong. There's no Tony, there's no Carmella, no Paulie Walnuts. No Sopranos at all."

See the rest of this article at this link:

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0523,op-ed,64730,6.html

[Bunny]

1. They'd better not mess with The Sopranos!

That's one of the few useful shows on TV! :grr:

[BattyDem]

2. Bullshit! I PAY for cable television ...

and I am perfectly capable of deciding what I want to watch! :grr:

On edit: You know, I'll be FURIOUS if this happens, but ... it may be just the thing to wake up the masses. Wars, government corruption and the "Patriot Act" don't interest them ... but mess with their favorite TV programs and there will be riots in the streets! :eyes:

[FreedomAngel82]

15. It's ridiculous!!

I know I'm furious. I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions and tv's have blockers and parents can learn to parent their own children. I didn't have a tv in my room until I was in late elementary school and even then I just had basic cable and my nintendo and video games. I'm so angry with this nonsense. These people have invaded my home and privacy enough. I'm through with it!

[Spectral]

3. Do you think the cable industry will take this lying down?

Or do you think they will develop some kind of system where you pay extra to get the non-expurgated version?

[BattyDem]

5. It's not about paying ...

we pay now. It's about them using the public airwaves for "indecent" material. Of course, with parental control filters and v-chips and "Net Nanny" type software, parents can already filter out the things they don't want children to see - what the GOP wants to do is have the government filter what tax-paying adults can see.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Exactly

I'm pissed off about this and it better not happen. :mad:

[trogdor]

6. You mean...like HBO?

That's the whole point.

[ZRB]

4. I say let them try it.

The American people can clearly handle a lot of oppression. But take away their TV shows--especially the ones they pay for--and there will be rioting in the streets. Let them do it, and the revolution will begin!

[Double T]

7. republicans want a puritanical society when they are anything but

puritanical. I sure do not want this government telling me or anyone else what I can listen to and what I can watch. If you don't want to hear and you don't want to see, then DON'T SUBSCRIBE!!!!

[Dr Ron]

8. It might not be this bad

People pushing to extend broadcast standards to cable are talking about basic cable, not pay cable.

For now they claim thay don't plan to impose these restrictions on channels like HBO.

Of course I'd feel safer if they weren't trying to place increased restrictions anywhere as you never know what they will do next.

(Unfortunatley I'm basing this upon things such as NPR interviews and don't have any good links available as to their claims to only be going after basic cable).

[Jim Lane]

9. Here's what Bush said

I had missed this news report and I thought Sanders might be exaggerating. Alas, he isn't:

"President Bush expressed support on Thursday for applying decency standards to cable and satellite television shows and offering help to parents so they can decide what their children should watch."

Full Reuters article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=671617

[Spectral]

11. And satellite!

That's all consumer media.

You know, it's really sad but I agree with the person who said that maybe the only thing that will get Americans fighting is to take away their uncensored cable.

What a sad commentary on our nation.

[FreedomAngel82]

18. If they do

do this it'll probably happen under some sort of diverson. The "religious" nutcases like Dobson want this they'll do it because Dobson and the like get them votes. :mad: They won't know about it until they flip on the tv and find their favorite show gone.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. If the parents

don't know what their children can and can not watch then they shouldn't be parents. Learn to parent your own damn kids and leave me a lone! I'm an adult and if I want to watch an R rated movie then I fucking will. So butt the hell out already! My God! I'm sick of this shit!

[NoPasaran]

10. My life is child-free

And I do not want the government or anyone else to decide what I can watch on TV just so some lazy religious fanatic bigots who are too goddamn lazy to monitor what their kids are watching can neglect their duties as parents.

[Rosco T.]

12. One reason I bought a Canadian (Starchoice) system....

hells bells, they can say shit, fuck, cock and such on the ANIMATED shows on Teletoon!! (Bromwell High & John Callahan's Quads!)...

I watch it more than my DISH system (thinking of cancelling the DISH)

[Spectral]

13. Where is a Canadian system available?

First I've heard of it. Then again, I don't even have basic cable.

[Rosco T.]

19. Check out this site...

www.kusat.com

Just order the receiver/dish and they will ship it to you.
The Starchoice is easier to get activated. www.starchoice.com
You have to go thru an 'address broker' to maintain a Canadian Billing address and for activation.
Mine is billed directly to our (US Issued) Credit Card.
Just never plug in the phone line.

If you get really interested, drop me a PM and I'll answer more and point you to a RELIABLE address broker.

[theboss]

14. I find this highly unlikely

There is very little call for this on the Right.

And even if it did happen, the courts would probably strike it down in a heartbeat.