Note: This commentary was delivered by Prison Fellowship President Mark Earley.
In McLean, Virginia, a young mother named Silvia began channel-surfing, looking for something that would amuse her 4-year-old daughter. Up on the screen popped something called “Girl Next Door.” It was a photo shoot for a Playboy centerfold, and it showed women in sexual poses, completely nude, except for portions that were blurred.
“It was very clear what was going on,” Silvia relates. She grabbed the remote — but it was too late. Her little girl was already asking questions.
The program was not a cable or satellite offering. In fact, Silvia did not even subscribe to those services because she knew it was hard to control their content. However, even over-the-air broadcasts have hit a new all-time low.
It’s just as bad on the radio. Another mother, this one in Seattle, was in her kitchen with her 5-year-old son, searching for her favorite music station. But instead of classical music, guess what: She heard a DJ using a vulgar term to describe the female anatomy. As Robin put it, “My son learned a new word that he wasn’t ready to learn, and I wasn’t ready to explain.”
These moms are not alone in their disgust. Overwhelmingly, Americans loathe having their children exposed to profanity and sexual vulgarity every time they turn on the TV or radio. The networks don’t seem to care. In fact, they recently filed suit against the FCC over its decision to fine networks that ignored community standards of decency. In their view, nobody has a right to tell them what to do. Even during “family hour,” they insist on airing programs containing the “F” word. If parents don’t like it, too bad.
This in-your-face attitude is indicative of how far our society has traveled along the path of radical individualism — especially when it comes to anything related to sex. Anything else can be restrained — smoking in public, driving without a seatbelt — all on the grounds that it’s good for society. But restrain sexual expression? No way — especially if it makes money.
And this is not without consequences. Just yesterday, I was advised by the head of a juvenile court services unit in a large suburban county that sex cases among juveniles are beginning to dominate their court dockets.
All of this is in contrast to the Judeo-Christian view that dominated our culture for most of its history. The view says innocent children should be protected from things that might harm them — especially ugly distortions of human sexuality. If adults wanted to consume filth, they had to go to grubby little theaters and bookstores to do it — places that kept children safely out.
What can we do today to clean up the airwaves? We can ask our lawmakers to support the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act. This bill would increase fines and hold networks accountable if they break the rules.
The House overwhelmingly passed this bill a year ago. But it’s gone nowhere in the Senate. Yesterday, members of pro-family groups bombarded their senators with calls. They reminded them about the networks’ lawsuit against the FCC. And they asked them to get behind the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act — ASAP.
If you didn’t call yesterday, I hope you’ll call today, and get your friends to call, too. We’re working hard on Capitol Hill for this cause.
In reality, the networks are not declaring war on the FCC; they’re declaring war on our kids. Are we going to put up with it — or are we going to fight back?
Take action:
Please contact your two senators (call 202-224-3121 or visit www.senate.gov to find out who your senators are) and urge them to pass the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act (H.R. 310).
To contact Chairman Kevin Martin, e-mail KJMWEB@fcc.gov; call 1-888-225-5322; or write: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554.
(This update courtesy of the Breakpoint with Chuck Colson.)
