Sorta libertarian, sorta conservative, never poltically correct either way, dedicated to sarcasm and a refusal to grow up. That would be me.
![[Powered by Blogger]](http://buttons.blogger.com/bloggerbutton1.gif){kind=small}
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Howard Stern, Mel Gibson, and the “Culture War”.
In an apparent effort to elect John Kerry to the Presidency, the Culture Warriors are out in force. Their latest target is one of their traditional ones: talk radio host Howard Stern. Stern is the most succesful of the “indecent” entertainers that have proliferated since Ronald Reagan appointed FCC commisioners who believed that every radio comes with a regulation device available to every potential listener: the on-off switch. He is also the most politically outspoken. Indeed, before the latest Decency Crusade, he leaned strongly pro-Republican. Now of course, and it is hard to blame the man, he is completely opposed to the Administration that threatens to end his job.
Perhaps even more ironic than this crusade against one of America’s most prominent anti-liberals is the fact that the Culture Warriors are claiming the success of Mel Gibson’s “Passion” as a great victory for their cause. Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth. Gibson’s offering seeks to silence no one. It is an alternative cultural offering fully playing by the rules of the free market. It is very much part of the cultural competition, and is indeed a succesful part. Good for Mel.
If anything, this movie and its success can be seen as an argument against censorship. The Roman government sought to stop Jesus of Nazareth’s message through harsh and evil means. History shows how well they “succeeded”. Certain PC censor-wannabes on the left have tried to censor Gibson as well. They claim the movie is “anti-semetic” or too “graphically violent”. The box office shows how effective this has been.
Far from being opponents in the “culture war”, Stern and Gibson are de facto allies. Both are entertainers. Both produce products that are consumed only by those who wish to either tune in Stern’s show (and wade through interminable commercial breaks) or pay to see Gibson’s movie. Both have opponents who don’t believe in the free market in such cases: they would pressure others not to patronize these entertainers or even ban their offerings. Indeed, the censor-wannabes of the left and the right who are the true allies in this “culture war”. Both seek to tell adults what cultural offerings they can or cannot have access to, “for our own good” of course.
In an apparent effort to elect John Kerry to the Presidency, the Culture Warriors are out in force. Their latest target is one of their traditional ones: talk radio host Howard Stern. Stern is the most succesful of the “indecent” entertainers that have proliferated since Ronald Reagan appointed FCC commisioners who believed that every radio comes with a regulation device available to every potential listener: the on-off switch. He is also the most politically outspoken. Indeed, before the latest Decency Crusade, he leaned strongly pro-Republican. Now of course, and it is hard to blame the man, he is completely opposed to the Administration that threatens to end his job.
Perhaps even more ironic than this crusade against one of America’s most prominent anti-liberals is the fact that the Culture Warriors are claiming the success of Mel Gibson’s “Passion” as a great victory for their cause. Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth. Gibson’s offering seeks to silence no one. It is an alternative cultural offering fully playing by the rules of the free market. It is very much part of the cultural competition, and is indeed a succesful part. Good for Mel.
If anything, this movie and its success can be seen as an argument against censorship. The Roman government sought to stop Jesus of Nazareth’s message through harsh and evil means. History shows how well they “succeeded”. Certain PC censor-wannabes on the left have tried to censor Gibson as well. They claim the movie is “anti-semetic” or too “graphically violent”. The box office shows how effective this has been.
Far from being opponents in the “culture war”, Stern and Gibson are de facto allies. Both are entertainers. Both produce products that are consumed only by those who wish to either tune in Stern’s show (and wade through interminable commercial breaks) or pay to see Gibson’s movie. Both have opponents who don’t believe in the free market in such cases: they would pressure others not to patronize these entertainers or even ban their offerings. Indeed, the censor-wannabes of the left and the right who are the true allies in this “culture war”. Both seek to tell adults what cultural offerings they can or cannot have access to, “for our own good” of course.