http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=25379
Cartoons Tip Of the Iceberg
An appeal by a Protestant group to close the 2x2 cartoon channel for
pur****tedly promoting violence and hatred was well-timed.
The appeal, which the Consultative Council of the Heads of Protestant
Churches in Russia sent to the Prosecutor General's Office on Wednesday,
came less than a week after 2x2 had to pull two shows over a warning from
the government media watchdog that the shows promoted "a cult of violence
and brutality."
If prosecutors heed the Protestants' appeal, the media watchdog might end
up
issuing a second warning - which by law would allow authorities to revoke
2x2's broadcast license.
The appeal accuses 2x2 of promoting "cruelty, violence, homo***ual
propaganda, religious hatred and intolerance" with cartoons like "South
Park" and "Beavis and Butthead."
The Protestants, however, should remember that while violence and
religious
hatred are criminal offenses in this country, homo***uality is not.
Furthermore, they should beware of the perils of attempting to legislate
morality.
It is curious that the privately owned 2x2 - which runs disclaimers that
its
programs are for adults only - is under fire and not the state-controlled
national channels. Prime-time programming on these channels includes not
just adult-oriented movies but shows anchored by transvestites and
"journalistic investigations" covering the "***ual revolution" posed by
pregnant 6-year-old girls.
If there is anything offensive about television, however, it is the sheer
lack of journalistic integrity and freedom. These days the national
channels
rarely delve beyond the Kremlin line, preferring instead to offer lavish
and
praise-filled coverage of President Vladimir Putin's meetings with his
ministers and international leaders. The political opposition - the
obvious
voice of dissent - has been rudely shut out of the conversation.
As a result, the news re****ts have increasingly resembled Soviet-era
propaganda, especially during election campaigns and international
disputes,
such as Kosovo and U.S. plans to build a missile-defense ****eld.
But at the end of the day, Russia is a secular democracy, where everybody
has the freedom of choice to watch whatever he or she wants on television.
If the program is offensive, change the channel. If you still cannot find
anything worth watching, turn the television off.
This first appeared as an editorial in The Moscow Times.
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