Did Robertson violate FCC rules by advocating "assasination" of

[Chicago Democrat]

a sitting President?


Should we complain to FCC?


http://www.fcc.gov/





"Are you an assassin?" Fat Brando Asks

[Eric J in MN]

1. I'm not aware of any FCC rules against that.

With regard to "indecency,"
they fine for sexual or exceretory references.

[Chicago Democrat]

2. So Advocation of Killing of a Foreign Head of State is A-Ok, but tits

are worth millions in fines?!!



WTF is wrong with this picture?

[Eric J in MN]

3. Suppose Congress considered a law against advocating violence,

Would it be illegal to say the US should invade Venezuala, as well as to say the US should murder their leader?

[Chicago Democrat]

5. True, but its more obscene than a single tit, isn't it?

Not advocation of violence.


Asking specific people to kill a specific person is obscene. IMO

[flamin lib]

4. Robertson is on cable. FCC doesn't regulate cable. nt

[Eric J in MN]

6. "The 700 Club" is also shown on broadcast channels. (nt)

nt

[KharmaTrain]

8. Paid For Programming

Over-The-Air stations that run this and other brokered or "paid-for" religious programming have long run disclaimers that say they're not responsible for the content of the programming.

This is unlike the Jackson fiasco as that was on a network feed that was sanctioned by a network/station...thus the station/network could be held liable for the content.

While I'd love to see the FCC investigate this there's no real FCC indecency rules that have been violated. Screwy as it may sound, sex is considered taboo while advocating death and assasination is considered "free speech".

It'd be interesting to challenge licenses of radio stations carrying right wing hate programming, but due to their lack of local programming and access and nail them on violations of their ascertainment and public access files.

[Eric J in MN]

10. The fact that it's paid for doesn't change indecency rules.

If someone paid NBC to run a George Carlin cd infomerical including the "Seven Words You Can't Say on Television" routine (un-bleeped), NBC could still be fined if they ran the infomercial before 10 PM.

[KharmaTrain]

12. The FCC Could Go After The Program Producer...

It's a paid-for program...almost all liability falls onto the provider as long as the station airs a disclaimer stating the program "content is not the responsibility of station management" (how many times have you heard that...there's a reason why).

Again, nothing obscene was said here. The only possible action that could be taken would be for Chavez himself to sue Robertson for defamation and then that wouldn't hold up in court as Chavez would be proven to be a "public figure" and the case would be tossed.

People seem not to see the Rovian game being played here. This was a two-fer. First, to take the heat off meeeester booosh and his plummeting poll numbers and to generate an issue where none existed before. Even Robertson in his quasi appology pointed to it by saying how he's now glad that Chavez has made it on the corporate media radar...and can now be used as a distraction for all sorts of right wing boogiemen.

Problems with high gas prices? Blame Venezuela and that evil dictator (despite being elected several times) Chavez. Problems with "terror", put Chavez up there with Castro (who hasn't been tied to any "terrorist" incident in 40 years), Saddam and any other boggie-man, strawman you want to put up there.

My hopes are that Robertson/Rove overplayed their hand here...instead of getting the subject changed, they just showed those who are starting to wake up to the danger created by the Repugnican religious taliban.

[genius]

7. He solicited a felony. Lock the man up.

[onenote]

9. nah, he expressed a revolting, repugnant opinion

He didn't "solicit" anything. He stated his amoral, mush for brains opinion. Vilify him, lambaste him, call on sponsors and stations to stop supporting his hate filled crap. But, for the love of the First Amendment, don't call for him to be prosecuted for stating that he "thinks" that the US government should kill Chavez. What next: prosecuting a DUer for saying that he/she "thinks" Cindy should kick a few of the counter-protesters in the balls to send them a message?

onenote

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. There's a whole thread on this here;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4435268
Thread title: Complain to the FCC about Pat Robertson.......(Link here)
Webster Green - GD - Tue Aug-23-05 02:10 PM

Here's a related thread with another entity to complain to:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1721829
Thread title: Media Matters Calls on ABC Family to Discontinue Robertson Broadcasts
paineinthearse -LBN Tue Aug-23-05 03:34 PM

[Chicago Democrat]

14. Thank You- Everyone see these links!

:)

[Lefty48197]

13. well at least he didn't show a boob or anything

decadent like that. Whew.