If you think parents should be responsible for what their kids watch

[BR_Parkway]

instead of the local gov't, please take a moment to let your feelings be known to our local county leaders.

Based on a letter from one lady who subscribes to the Parents Television Council, but admits she doesn't watch the TV shows in question, wants the county to force the cable company (no friend of mine, but...)to change the channel line up in the name of "family values".

The commissioners discussed the resolution last month and directed county staff to draft a copy. As drafted, the resolution would “support consumer choice in cable television channel selection.” The idea was introduced by commissioner Keith Honeycutt as a result of a letter from Blowing Rock resident Frances Weant.

Weant, who has lived in the county part-time since the mid-1970s, said she is a supporter of the Parents Television Council, a non-profit organization that lobbies for legislative action and issues a guide on what it considers to be “family-oriented” TV viewing. PTC was founded in 1995 “to ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media” and claims to support “values-driven shows,” while encouraging other shows to get rid of “offensive content.”

Weant said she raised the issue “because I feel like our children need more protection than they’re getting from television shows. We don’t need those trashy programs on our TV, especially during evening hours.” Weant said even people who like those types of shows should be concerned about the time they are shown and “what this offers in the way of an example.” Weant admits she gets her information from PTC mailings and doesn’t watch the allegedly offensive shows herself. “I’m afraid I don’t watch those channels,” she said. “I don’t have time to tune into those things.”

She said she became a supporter of PTC after reading their reports on certain shows. “There’s no excuse for the language that is used on some of them,” Weant said.

http://mountaintimes.com/mtweekly/2005/0721/cable_tv.php3

They even go on to admit that the programming in question can only be shown between 10 pm and 6 am - but PTC doesn't want actual families making the choice about what is or is not good for their children to watch - they want to be able to make the call and have control.

Please take a moment to email a few of these people to let them know we don't want these far right fundraising groups dictating what people can do in their own homes. They say that all politics is local, here's where the road to theocracy begins. Thanks for the help.

Commissioners emails:

Jim Deal - Chairman
[e-mail]

William R. Winkler, III - Vice-Chairman
[e-mail]

Keith Honeycutt
[e-mail]

Winston Kinsey
[e-mail]

David Blust
no email

[Occulus]

1. Wow, gee. Sounds awful familiar, doesn't it? n/t

[tanyev]

2. Parent's Television Council is headed by Brent Bozell,

a longtime partisan Republican operative with some very cozy ties to Rev. Moon.

[Karenina]

3. Oh?