Labeling can *lead* to censorship!

[caen!bsbbs!cynthia@harvard.harvard.edu (Cynthia Rosas)]

Vickie expounds:

> No one with half a brain is "for" censorship, but I think Larry was
> trying to point out that "voluntary" labeling can very easily lead
> to censorship. It is a fact that some stores and chains refuse to
> carry labeled records at all. That *is* censorship, and I believe 
> that's what the PMRC wants. Labeling in and of itself isn't as bad as 
> someone using those labels as an excuse to censor. The issue is much
> bigger, broader and far-reaching than just the labels themselves.
 
Yes, that's true, anything gone beyond moderation, and with
underlying motives, _can_ lead to censorship.  I'm sure there
may be some stores that won't carry labeled records, but it
seems that there are many that do.  It's sort of like video
stores and x-rated and now the NC-17 rated movies.
Blockbuster is totally hypocritical on this issue, as they
refuse to carry NC-17 films such as Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!,
Henry and June, and any oother NC-17 rated film.  They do not
offer an X-rated section.  Censorship or their prerogative?  
Well, I find it hypocritical because they are more than happy
to carry a vast horror & guts section, many of these films
have Not For Under 17 warnings on 'em, and most of the covers
depict women being stabbed with blood gushing out, women being
hung and or chained, women screaming in terror, etc etc.  But
_that's_ okay.  Well, I loathe Blockbuster for this issue as
well as having a very pathetic and soggy foreign film section,
so I took my bidness to American Video Network, proptly rented
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! as well as some sleazy X-rated trash,
and left happily.  

I realize 	 digress, but the point is twofold.  One is,
it's a thion line between censorship and the prerogative of a
business to sell what they please.  Oooh, my fingers are
stuttering, hope you can decipher the typos.  I mean, should
Blockbuster be forced to rent out NC-17 or X-rated movies if
they don't wanna?  I mean, I hate them for it, but is that
reason enough?  Are they contradicting the Constitution?  I
have the free choice to take my business elsewhere.  Should
they not have the free choice to be fascist pigs if they want?
 The other point is, actually I only mentioned this as an
example of the propensity of some to jump and assume based on
one or two statements.  You said Larry made the censorship
statement I'd referred to.  Okay, I'm saying that Larry's tone
in it was nearly accusatory at Richard, as if Richard
supported censorship in some form, and I don't think that's
the case at all.  
Larry was darned near _indignant_ over it, huffing at Richard
as if Richard had implied something that would court such a
response.  ANyways, I don't think he (Richard) did, I think
Larry's huff was a little bit wasted, I think censorship
sucks, and it's a very complex issue.  
It's not black or white in many cases.

So, anyways, saw The Butcher's Wife.  Nice movie.  Go to a
matinee for 3.50 or wait for the video.  Not worth 6 or 7
bucks a person, but a nice and amusing movie at reduced
prices.  

Rented The Godfather (part I) this weekend.  Lots of violence,
yechhh, but what a wonderful, richly textured movie!  
The violence was pretty much necessary, I guess.

Okay, that's it for now...

Cynthia "I Hate Blockbuster" Rosas

----
Cynthia Rosas <cynthia@bsbbs.UUCP> <{n8emr|nstar}!bluemoon!bsbbs!cynthia>
The Big Sky BBS (+1 614 864 1198)