The "Clean Airwaves Act"

[Brown]

Incredibly, some congressmen have drafted some legistation that defines words that are, in and of themselves, indecent, regardless of context.

The same group wants to empower the FCC to increase the fines to be levied against regulated media that air these bad words.

Here's a Salt Lake Tribune story on the subject, and here's story from the Dallas Morning News.

You can read the text of HR 3687 here. Warning: This legislation includes very bad words that can hurt you if you are exposed to them.

As commentators are quick to point out, the Congressional list is similar to George Carlin's "seven words" list. I shall note for the record that one of George Carlin's "seven words" is not on the Congressional list (and George himself has said it doesn't really belong on his own list). The missing word pertains to female mammary glands. One seven-letter word (or a two-word combo consisting of a three-letter word and a four-letter word, and possibly a hyphen) that is not on George's list is on the Congressional list.

The Congressional list, like George's list, includes a duplicate entry. George kept his duplicate for aesthetic reasons, but there is no reason for the Congressional list to include the duplicate, as the "Clean Airwaves Act" purports to cover hyphenated compounds and use of the bad words with other words or phrases.

 

[Tony]

How stupid, I guess this idiot forgot about the 1st amendment.

 

[jj]

Did they ban "Ni"?

I mean, it's a sad day when young fellows can run around saying "Ni" to an old women!

 

[Cleon]

How stupid, I guess this idiot forgot about the 1st amendment.

The first amendment doesn't apply to airwaves. As Brown's avatar once explained, the FCC--an appointed body, not elected--already has set rules on what is "acceptable" free speech over the airwaves.

 

[Goshawk]

Er, a whole lot of folks have apparently got their panties in a bunch over--basically--nothing.

H. R. 3687 is merely intended to amend an already existing section of the U.S. Title Code.

Title 18, Section 1464: . Which says:

Section 1464. Broadcasting obscene language

Whoever utters any obscene, indecent, or profane language by means of radio communication shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

All HR 3687 is doing is spelling out exactly which "profane words" they're talking about.

All those folks with their panties in a bunch about this are kinda late for the party. The time to have protested would have been when Section 1464 was first enacted, not now that the Feds are finally getting around to spitting it out, what they're prepared to find offensive.

And if I'm reading these notes right, the time to have protested would have been in 1948.

It's an election year, folks. You have to expect this kind of political grandstanding. It'll go away soon--about November 5, I reckon.

 

[Charlie Monoxide]

Brown, your posting posting avatar makes this very surreal.

Next the Utah legislature will be banning pseudo weather forecasts from "hippy dippy weathermen".

Charlie (tonights forecast, dark, with scattered sunlight around dawn) Monoxide

edited to add: sorry, I thought this was Utah state stuff, didn't realize it's federal, which is more bizarre

Save me Jeebus

 

[Zep]

Really, it just makes things worse when you apply stupid, dumb censorship. For example (from My Fair Lady):

I could have ****ed all night!
I could have ****ed all night!
And still have asked for more.
I could have spread my ****
And done a thousand ****
I'd never done before.
I'll never know what made it so exciting
Why all at once my **** took flight.
I only know when he
Began to **** with me
I could have ****ed, ****ed, ****ed! all night!

 

[Brown]

All HR 3687 is doing is spelling out exactly which "profane words" they're talking about.

In an interview on public radio, this is basically what Representative Smith said. Indecency statutes are always at risk of being vague. The purpose of the list, he said, is to specifically identify those "patently offensive" words that can bring about a penalty.

If the list holds up, however, it will almost certainly be expanded. The words "c**ze" and "t*at," for example, which refer to a woman's pudendum, are not on the list. Some wiseguy will get the idea that "I can't say 'c*nt,' but I can say 't*at,'" and the next thing you know, the list will have a new entry or two.

The list also omits various words that some deem blasphemous, such as "G*dd*mn" and the like. There are certain interests who would like very much to see blasphemous words added to the list.

Representative Smith also acknowledged that certain patently offensive ideas might be discussed on the airwaves even if some of the bad words aren't used. To my mind, he implied that he would be targeting offensive ideas if he was successful in targeting offensive words.

 

[Tmy]

This is dumb. I cant believe "piss" is one of the words. What annoys me is that the FCC treats people differently. Its ok to have all the swearing on a prime time 911 special. Are they no longer bad words?

Why arent racial slurs part of the list? I cant think of words that are more offensive or vulgar.

 

[jimlintott]

I have a silly pet theory that censorship leads to illiteracy. Here is how:

Young children build their vocabulary very rapidly. They learn new words all the time. One day little Johnny learns a new word. Later at home he uses this new word which his parents recognise as a vulgarity. They become angry and punish Johnny for using bad words. Johnny has just learned that some words are 'bad'. Unfortunately he has no way of finding which words are bad without using them and suffering the punishment for it. Nobody likes to be punished so it becomes much easier for Johnny to just avoid learning new words altogether.

No whacky theory is complete without anecdotal evidence. I deliberately raised my children in a censorship free environment. Today they score way above average in language arts class. My daughter's teachers frequently have to grab their dictionary to look up the words she is using. With no fear of language and words their vocabulary grew extensively.

(Is it possible to be profane if you don't believe in god?)

 

[Nasarius]

This is dumb. I cant believe "piss" is one of the words. What annoys me is that the FCC treats people differently. Its ok to have all the swearing on a prime time 911 special. Are they no longer bad words?

Why arent racial slurs part of the list? I cant think of words that are more offensive or vulgar.

Agreed. Piss and a*hole are two rather mild words to include in such a short list. The latter as well because I've never really heard it used in the literal sense, but rather as a general insult.