rideside.net

Posted by on 2004-12-06 22:07:29 +0000

I though Powell was patsy for the longest time as well, however, I was impress with his <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/03/opinion/03powell.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fOp%2dEd%2fContributors">piece in the NYT</a>. While there is something to be said for leaving an organization that you disagree with at every level, obviously Powell doesn't feel that way. Since he seems faily competent, maybe he should stick around.

FCC deregulation of media ownership is being targeted by Congress, yes?

While searching for the Powell link, I found <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/contributors/">another example of his genius.</a>

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-06 22:53:06 +0000

"For material to be indecent in the legal sense it must be of a sexual or excretory nature and it must be patently offensive. Mere bad taste is not actionable."
-Michael K. Powell in the NY times 3 Dec. '04

Wow. Michael Powell is incharge of the FCC, and he leaves out the most important aspect of indecency: violence. As a mammal, humans must drink, eat, sweat, shit, and have sex to survive as a species. We don't have to kill people with saw-off shot guns while we deliver some bad pun. He's even worse than I thought...

Posted by tgl on 2004-12-07 16:28:59 +0000

The FCC is reacting to public pressure. Our society doesn't find violence offensive. It's ludicrous, I agree.

Posted by rladew on 2004-12-07 16:30:50 +0000

Its hard for me to understand why people who happen to be African Americans are called 'Uncle Toms' when they have the "audacity" to suggest that heavy government regulation might not be the answer to all of our problems...

_______________________________
“The outer space beings are my brothers. They sent me here. They already know my music.” --SUN RA

Posted by rladew on 2004-12-07 16:54:12 +0000

So whats the solution here? Im certainly not gonna side with people like Lieberman who want to take away my Grand Theft Auto... Democrats AND Republicans are both wrong on these issues.

The stereotype has always been that Repubs look the other way w/ violence and Dems look the other way w/ sex.

What about the notion that parents NEED TO BE WATCHING THEIR CHILDREN?

_______________________________
“The outer space beings are my brothers. They sent me here. They already know my music.” --SUN RA

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-07 19:18:40 +0000

I think we all agree with you here, rladew. I do. Did someone say that? Is that why "audacity" is in quotes?

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-07 19:46:31 +0000

The answer is to keep the regulation guidelines set up earlier. One network (Clear Channel) should not be the ONLY news source to one third of a state (North Dakota). What troubles me most in this case is that Fox News is so slanted and will be the only news provider. Do we agree that the break up of monopolies is good? I guess that's the question here.

Lastly, I agree with Lieberman to a point: Maybe a five year old should not be able to purchase Grand Theft Auto?

Posted by on 2004-12-07 20:03:20 +0000

<i>I have to do it:</i> Its hard for me to understand why people who happen to be left of center are called 'government lovers' when they have the "audacity" to suggest that free wheeling corporations might not be the answer to all our problems...

dawn's use of the label Uncle Tom might be inappropriate considering his race, and the circumstances to which that label would apply. However, it's completely irrelavent to the problem at hand: why is the FCC's panties in a bunch about so-called obscene material, playing the parent as it were, when there are serious consequences when whole media markets are controlled by single entities?

The role of TV/Cable/Radio/Newspaper may have diminished with the advent of the internet, however, there still important news sources. In the case of broadcast companies, they are using a public resource to do business.

Posted by rladew on 2004-12-07 20:21:57 +0000

"Audacity" was in quotes because when someone like M. Powell in his NYT piece suggests that govt regulation isnt always the answer, a large group of people that argue for more government regulation (for example Ralph Nader or his supporters, arguing for more Safety in automobiles) can sometimes have a tendency to a knee jerk reaction that the sky is falling and Clear Channel will take over the world if some dept in the govt doesnt stop them. In other words, I am arguing that people who do advocate MORE regulation than what we already have feel that it is an audacious suggestion from the fat, rich, and greedy people in America to reduce intervention which will supposedly be used to encourage a system that conspires against the poor and uncompetitve.

How about using competition of the free market to stop Clear Channel?

_______________________________
“The outer space beings are my brothers. They sent me here. They already know my music.” --SUN RA

Posted by tgl on 2004-12-07 20:33:50 +0000

No one wants to compete for air time in North Dakota.

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-07 21:00:03 +0000

Huh? "Inappropriate considering his race." Colin's race? Colin's black, states such, and that's who the term Uncle Tom was invented for. My race? I am not allowed to relay that Colin Powell is regarded as an Uncle Tom by the black community, because I'm white? Fuck you! I read the book, and I certainly know how to use the term.

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-07 21:55:01 +0000

Um, that's the point -- There is no free market. We need regulation for public resources.

Again I ask: Do we all agree that breaking up monoplies is a good thing?

Posted by tgl on 2004-12-07 22:52:07 +0000

Inappropriate considering _your_ race.

I wouldn't walk up to a Black person and say "My Nigger!". Terms like Uncle Tom & oreo are derogatory, specifically racially derogatory. Since I'm not Black, I'm not going to label someone else as a traitor to the Black race.

It also takes away from the argument about why the FCC should not be deregulating the broadcast industry. I don't care what color M. Powell's skin is, he's let the broadcast industry ride roughshod over the FCC.

Posted by rladew on 2004-12-07 22:52:26 +0000

depends on who gets to decide its a monopoly



_______________________________
“The outer space beings are my brothers. They sent me here. They already know my music.” --SUN RA

Posted by tgl on 2004-12-07 22:53:34 +0000

Um... my newspaper, my radio station, my broadcast TV and every billboard I see on the landscape is controlled by the same entity.

Seems textbook.

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-07 23:03:32 +0000

The people being monopolized get to decide.

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-07 23:39:34 +0000

Too bad you, tgl, are uncomfortable with African American vernacular. Your 20th century ways stereotype and perpetuate misconceptions; the comparison of "Uncle Tom" to "Nigger" shows this.

I do care what color a person's skin is, especially minorites. I support affirmative action, because (as Yoav Bergner pointed out) status in society did not come from a vacuum. When minorities consciously hurt their own race and support others that do, it says a lot about their character.

Posted by tendiamonds on 2004-12-08 14:23:09 +0000

Anyone here wanna call me a kyke?

Posted by rladew on 2004-12-08 15:56:09 +0000

not especially ....




_______________________________
“The outer space beings are my brothers. They sent me here. They already know my music.” --SUN RA

Posted by on 2004-12-08 17:00:08 +0000

How is _not_ using the stereotypical terms nigger and Uncle Tom perpetuating stereotypes? Others may feel that they can freely use those terms at will, and I can see how using those terms freely can help to reduce stereotypes. <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=0375421726&view=rg">A good example</a>. However, where a group of white men might use nigger to break down stereotypes, the same group is clearly upholding a stereotype when using Uncle Tom. Using the terms and then having others, particulary Blacks, understand that I'm trying to get away from my 20th centery stereotypes and misconceptions are two different things.

Since I'm not Black, I'm going to refrain from determining who or who is not a racial sell-out to the African Americans whose ancestors were held in slavery. (Notice we need to start making a distinction between African Americans and those Americans from Africa who do not have darker skin, or whose ancestors were not forcefully brought to America to be slaves, e.g., Teresa Heinz, Barack Obama)

Here's where I agree with some conservatives: it's a bit hypocritical for me to denounce stereotypes on one hand, then I, as an outsider, start proclaiming people "not really Black" b/c they hold viewpoints that don't conform with the stereotype of what "proper" Blacks should think.

Happy 2nd Night of Channukah to all my kyke friends.

Posted by tendiamonds on 2004-12-08 17:24:51 +0000

My people were enslaved _by_ Africans, do we get extra points for that?

There are... a lot of comments about... um, who's more oppressed than you are, who's more oppressed than she is... more oppressed than thou...

Posted by tgl on 2004-12-08 17:26:16 +0000

Egypt is in Africa?

Posted by tgl on 2004-12-08 17:27:28 +0000

Pharoah is a homo.

Posted by tendiamonds on 2004-12-08 17:28:58 +0000

Oh yeah, those damned oppressors

Posted by dawnbixtler on 2004-12-08 18:20:12 +0000

I will, because it is ignorance that made it a bad term...