RE: Marshfield cable TV controversy

[Bob Nelson <raccoonradio@yahoo.com>]

--- Larry Weil <kc1ih@mac.com> wrote:

> If you are offended by a program, don't watch or
> listen.  If enough 
> people do the same, the show will have no audience,
> and will die of 
> it's own accord.

And sometimes "all the attention" will make a show
even more popular-- people will check it out just to
see what the fuss was about. A boycott could backfire
on organizers...

In college (in the early 80s), we studied a book
called "The Last Temptation of Christ" by Nikos
Katzanzakis. The book imagined what if Christ had just
had a human life (the belief among Christians is that
He was both human AND divine), and it has Him
imagining (just before His Crucifixion) what would
have happened if he were simply human. He marries,
etc....

This was considered blasphemous by some Christians
who picketed the film (not sure if all of them
had seen it or read the book). Instead of a film
that might have gone away quietly, it got more
viewers than expected, due to the controversy.

Still, an interesting topic-- what happens when
a cable TV company puts on a controversial show
which offends some people... do they bow to pressure
and take it off, or stand by the "freedom of
speech" issue...or allow "equal time" to the
detractors, etc.