Guardians of Morality?

There is quite a big to-do in the news about the members of the cast in the reality show about a family that lives in the woods.  The head of the family is reported (I haven’t watched any of this first hand, so I can only state what I have read in the papers, that I have heard that these things were said) to have read from the Bible certain passages about homosexuality and then apparently added some of his own comments.

As one would guess, the world is in an uproar and this is now ‘front page’ news.  The fellow in question has been at least temporarily kicked off the show by the network that owns and airs the show, but the tempest continues.  And everyone has chosen at this point to come out and either defend or attack him.

A fellow who is a political commentator and former advisor to President Bush made the observation that the fellow in question had the right to say what he wanted – the 1^st Amendment protecting his speech, and the TV station had the right to fire (actually suspend) him, it being their TV station.

But, the firestorm of outrage continues as the ‘pure of heart,’ in self-righteous indignation demand that ‘something be done.’

First, the guy quoted from the Bible – then added his own comments.  I think most folks pretty much agree with the Bible, perhaps not in every single detail or in the understanding of each passage, but they do pretty much hold to what the Bible says.  So are the voices of outrage angry at the Bible?  I’m curious.  If so, they should explain themselves; I suspect most Americans would find that ‘enlightening.’

Second, his own comments were a bit strident, and he has, I understand, offered some sort of apology.  Whenever someone on the far left says something harsh, simple and not necessarily heart-felt apologies seem to do the trick.  Not so in this case.

Third, is there a very real effort to control speech in this country, of regulating everything that comes from those who do not dwell at one particular end of the political spectrum?  Absolutely. But, we knew that already.

But what I find interesting is this: in all of its high dudgeon over his hate speech or whatever they are calling it, the station in question is going to run a whole weekend of the reruns, there being millions of followers of the show who want to watch it, and therefore money to be made.

I am sure, given the amount of publicity that has been generated in virtually every newspaper, TV news show, internet sites and presumably all those social media sites that many of the fame hungry work so hard, that there will be record audiences and everyone is going to make some more money off this.

So, what might we conclude from this?  That to many of the political and moneyed elite the money is much more important than, well, anything and everything else.  Everybody is willing to stand on principal – as long as it doesn’t affect the profit margin.

A number of years ago William F. Buckley asked a fellow from one of the cable networks whether there was any moral or ethical limit to what he would broadcast; the fellow tried to dodge the question, responding more or less that audiences had a ‘right’ to watch whatever they want and who was he to ‘censor’ what they watched.  Buckley then asked, ‘if that is the case, would you broadcast some sort of ‘fight to the death’ or a snuff film?’  The response was ‘those events would be illegal.’  To which Buckley suggested that they could as easily air from a ship at sea, or Antarctica or from some war-torn country where there was no rule of law.  No answer was given.

Buckley’s point was – and is – obvious.  And it is probably more germane today then ever, where we have more bizarre and immoral behavior on television then ever.  This isn’t because there is any more disgusting behavior today then there was in the past.  A quick review of history finds it full of lust, murder, hate, greed and all the seven deadly sins – in abundance.

I am pretty much a libertarian myself, and I have a great deal of trouble with government – particularly the federal government – censoring in any way what is printed, aired, etc.  But I do believe in self-censoring; there are some things that shouldn’t be said, or filmed, or aired.  And while I am not advocating for censors, I am advocating that people should draw meaningful conclusions about people from their behavior.

There are two points that make today’s ‘entertainment industry’ a bit different from what we have seen in the past; one is the willingness, the eagerness with which the modern TV / Cable systems seek to air anything and everything, irrespective of what it may show, well beyond the pale of anything that was being aired just 10 or 15 years ago, all the while wrapping themselves up in the 1^st Amendment. And the second point is their holier than thou attitude, castigating someone for his ‘outrageous’ beliefs while routinely demonstrating that they have none.

So, go ahead and make your noise, condemn people for their beliefs, and then make sure you make your money off it.  But don’t expect me to respect your opinions, your perspectives on life or morals, or for that matter, respect you.