COUNTERPUNCH LETTERS : More Perspective About Freedom of Expression
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Pogue claims he is offended because all kinds of people are trying to squelch his self-expression and suppress his artistic freedom.
His true concern is revealed when he writes that artists, politicians, public figures and others “try so hard to offend no one, they can only produce uncommitted, sanitized, bland pap and safe sound bites guaranteed to bore everyone.” If you buy this reasoning you must also believe the obverse, which is that TV shows and movies must be offensive if they are to be entertaining and exciting.
Pogue doesn’t have to point out what everyone already knows: Sleaze sells. The abundance of sleaze on TV and in the movies proves the point.
It’s not the loss of artistic freedom that he’s really worried about; he’s just afraid that the self-appointed watchdogs of public morality will take away the right to make big bucks selling sleaze.
RICHARD E. JESPERSEN
La Palma
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