-Caveat Lector- <<< I'm assuming you all noticed the site this came from is called 'Weblampoon.com'. Some other fine sources of news I would recommedn you to include>>> ??? An agent provocateur? It seems to be a NY Times article. But you have to have a password. I'll check it out later. If I'm wrong, I stand corrected! > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/24/culture/24.html > > > > > > The New York Times > > > September 24, 2000 > > > > > > Old TV Sitcoms Banned From Airwaves > > > > > > By Joan Raunch > > > > > > NEW YORK -- A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against > > > syndicators of pre-1964 television situation comedy series, banning all > > > broadcast and cable distribution of the programs, effective December > > > 14th. > > > > > > The injunction is in response to a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf > > > of several dozen minority and "alternative lifestyle" TV viewers in > > > three cities. The suit claims that the plaintiffs have been > > > "psychologically and emotionally scarred" by the episodes, which "impose > > > a rigid and moralistic view of acceptable conduct, and a discriminatory > > > definition of what a 'family' is." > > > > > > Affected by the injunction are such programs as Leave it to Beaver, The > > > Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, and Father Knows > > > Best, which have retained an active syndication life for more than 35 > > > years. > > > > > > The judge, Fulton E. Woodcock, a Clinton appointee to the New York > > > district, released a statement in which he blasted the distributors for > > > subjecting society to the stifling influence of the offending programs, > > > which he said convey "a message of hate and judgment" against "the > > > diverse and inclusive palette of opportunities and lifestyle choices we > > > all enjoy as a result of civil rights advancements in this country." > > > > > > The suit is seeking monetary damages of $350 million against only the > > > syndicators, not the networks that created the shows. Most of the > > > plaintiffs participating in the suit are too young to have seen the > > > original network airings of the programs, and report they incurred their > > > injuries through watching syndicated reruns of the shows in their > > > formative years. > > > > > > "I was a black kid in the inner city being brought up by just my momma > > > and sometimes her boyfriend," states an affadavit from one of the > > > plaintiffs. "I found out from these shows that a real family has a man > > > and a woman, white and married, and kids, also white." > > > > > > "When I was a teenager learning about my gayness," relates another > > > affadavit, "these shows never even acknowledged the existence of > > > homosexuality," it continues, "but somehow the message got through that > > > Donna Reed and Robert Young would have persecuted me." > > > > > > "And I used to have nightmares about what Wally Cleaver and Eddie > > > Haskell would do to me if they found out," continues the affadavit. > > > "Even today, I still tremble just at seeing a black-and-white show on > > > TV." > > > > > > Judge Woodcock indicated that he is taking no action against programs > > > originally aired in 1964 and later, as "this is the time at which the > > > television industry began to respond to and nurture the positive forces > > > of inclusion that were moving within the larger society." > > > > > > Citing some examples of this, Woodcock offered Gilligan's Island as a > > > show that broke new ground in defining what could constitute a family; > > > noted approvingly that I Dream of Jeannie presented America with an > > > unwed couple sharing the same house; and praised Batman for depicting an > > > "ambiguous" relationship between the superhero and his partner Robin. > > > > > > Woodcock also indicated that he might consider making exceptions to the > > > ban for programs such as The Honeymooners, which depicted a childless > > > couple caught in depressing, near-poverty conditions, and Bachelor > > > Father, because of its "in your face" parenting option. > > > > > > Decrying the injunction, and vowing to help syndicators oppose the suit > > > all the way to the Supreme Court, are cable networks such as TV Land and > > > Nostalgia, which rely heavily on the banned material for their > > > programming. > > > > > > Yet even they shy away from defending the stifling moralism, hate, and > > > intolerance that permeate the old series. > > > > > > "We think these shows must be on display, to confront us with our > > > history," said Nostalgia President and CEO Squire Rushnell, "because if > > > we forget to learn from it, we will be doomed to repeat it." > > > ______________________________________________ FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com Sign up at http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. 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