The War on Common Sense - US branch
Curious news from the other side of the Pond, the US film censoring board, the MPAA declares that "Depictions of smoking in movies will now be a factor when deciding what a film's rating will be, possibly making a PG-13 movie R-rated". Source A PG-13 film warns "Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13", while an R warns "Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian".
As a point of comparison, drugs references also inform restrictions on film ratings, and 'Trainspotting' was rated an R. 'Trainspotting' is very, very graphic on the needle and the damage done. And then there are considerations of screen violence, strong language and all of the other things that some people get worked up about.
While smoking is not exactly healthy, and is getting progressively less common, it is still legal, and I regard the MPAA's bowing to some of the more fanatical lobbyists as quite lamentable. This *is* an issue of artistic expression and free speech, and given that there is an awful lot of material on TV involving smoking, it is also utterly silly.
As a point of comparison, drugs references also inform restrictions on film ratings, and 'Trainspotting' was rated an R. 'Trainspotting' is very, very graphic on the needle and the damage done. And then there are considerations of screen violence, strong language and all of the other things that some people get worked up about.
While smoking is not exactly healthy, and is getting progressively less common, it is still legal, and I regard the MPAA's bowing to some of the more fanatical lobbyists as quite lamentable. This *is* an issue of artistic expression and free speech, and given that there is an awful lot of material on TV involving smoking, it is also utterly silly.
Labels: Big Nanny, Common sense? What's that?, Media
This entry was posted
on Friday, May 11, 2007 at 11:37 am.
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God, I wish the left would just get back up into the trees where they belong. The towering insolence of non-legislators deciding what's going to be legally graded is just sickening. Another thing about the left is, they are so certain that they alone carry the true flame of truth.
I would like to make it against the law to vote for the destructive, civilisation-destroying left.
V - Ain't that the cold truth. What I discovered from further sniffing around is that MPAA ratings do not apply to discs and the like, and under 17s can hire out R films from libraries. Or so I have been led to believe by a Wiki entry.
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