The power of 23

During the past four years, the number of indecency complaints received by the Federal Communications Commission has grown by more than 685 percent. This means we went from fewer than 350 complaints total for the entirety of 2001 for all of the United States to more than 240,000 in 2003. Most of us would assume this might have something to do with President George W. Bush's morality seeping into the country, bringing out the "family values" that decided the election last month. Of course, it might also have something to do with the fact that 99.8 percent of all the complaints -- more than 239,520 of them -- were from one source: the Parents Television Council. Aside from all of the Janet Jackson Superbowl fiasco complaints, the PTC is then responsible for 99.8 percent of all other complaints. Because of these complaints, millions of dollars in fines have been doled out by the FCC to broadcasters for indecency. \nSo is the free speech of an entire country being restricted by the complaining prowess of a single, small conservative activist group? My, that's very ... fascist. \nHow is the FCC letting this happen? By being a group of bungling idiots, evidently. The FCC proposed $1.2 million of fines against Fox for 90 complaints about "Married by America," all of which originated from 23 people, only one of whom admitted to having watched the program. \nOnly 23? That can't be a very large percent of Fox's audience, if it's even measurable. I'm sure that I can get 23 people together that dislike just about anything. \nDon't like Fox News? Get the Young Democrats together and have them each write four complaints to the FCC. Bam! That's one more instant, million-dollar fine. Want to stick it to "The Simpsons"? Get the Young Republicans together, write some notes and voilà! Stop those offensive cartoons in their tracks. \nIt's amazing how so few people can create such a bureaucratic headache. \nRemember when the FCC actually let Bono say the f-word on national TV? Of course, shortly afterwards, the FCC was cowed into submission with "hundreds" of complaints, mostly from the PTC, and is now more restrictive than ever. These overprotective parents spend most of the time writing complaints to the FCC while they leave their children unattended in front of the TV. If these folks have a problem with what their kids are watching, why don't they simply turn it off and go play catch or sit down and watch something they deem appropriate with their child? Why does Fox have to shell out over a million dollars because 23 people can't do this?\nIn the end, we can't make the PTC stop doing what they're doing. It's a free country, and while the PTC may not think others have the right to say and watch what they want, its members do have free speech. \nThe heart of the problem is an unstable FCC whose very existence is based on hazy morally-conservative presumptions. In the past, it has tried to advance this country's standards of decency to be more in line with the rest of the world, but during the past several years it has succumbed to a few very loud-mouthed people. \nThe FCC needs to stand its ground, instead of fearing what will happen if it doesn't appease the PTC. I don't want an obnoxious minority restricting my freedom, and I doubt many others do, either. Let the FCC hear the majority's opinion: If you don't want to watch it, don't watch it and stop being so belligerent. \nWhat sort of example do you want to set for your children, anyway?