Re: LP Press Release: Jerry Springer
Daniel C. Burton (dan@autobahn.org)
17 Mar 1998 21:01:58 GMT
I received this letter, so I guess the Libertarian Party isn't slipping to
the right....
----------
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 10:37:52 -0500
From: George Getz <76214.3676@compuserve.com>
Subject: Jerry Springer release
Sender: George Getz <76214.3676@compuserve.com>
To: Daniel Burton <dan@autobahn.org>
Dear Dan:
Recently the national LP sent out a press release opposing federal
subsidies for close-captioning the Jerry Springer show that has caused some
concern among our members, and we would like to clarify our position.
The central point of the release was that Libertarians object to the
government forcing taxpayers to finance television shows that millions of
Americans consider to be offensive -- in this case, the Jerry Springer
show.
Unfortunately, some of the phrasing in release left readers with the
impression that we were making a moral judgment on the type of behavior
depicted on the show. That was certainly not our intent, and we apologize
to those who were offended.
Our intention was for the Libertarian Party to criticize the subsidies for
the show -- and the subsidies only -- and leave judgments about content to
the television critics.
For example, the fifth paragraph said: "Libertarians are fervent
supporters of free speech, so we don't object to such programs being
broadcast," said Dasbach. "We do object to the federal government forcing
taxpayers to underwrite what millions of Americans consider to be extremely
offensive material."
Nevertheless, in other parts of the release we simply were not vigilant
enough in making the point that our party declines, as a matter of
principle, to pass moral judgment on anyone's lifestyle. As a result, many
readers understandably were left with the wrong impression. The fault was
ours, and we will be more sensitive in the future.
Sincerely,
George Getz
Press Secretary
Libertarian Party
Daniel C. Burton <dan@autobahn.org> wrote in article
<3.0.5.32.19980316192351.007b5c90@mail.autobahn.org>...
> If there's no apology on this, I may once again bring up the motion to
> change our affiliation from the Libertarian Party to the International
> Society for Individual Liberty....
>
> >X-Sender: dreamer@pop3.ziplink.net (Unverified)
> >Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 00:53:23 -0800
> >To: Steve Dasbach <announce@lp.org>
> >From: dreamer@ziplink.net (Starchild)
> >Subject: Re: LP Press Release: Jerry Springer
> >Cc: Mark Valverde <ephebos@ix.netcom.com>, Bill Quick
<iceberg@iw3p.com>,
> > Anton Sherwood <dasher@netcom.com>,
> > "Daniel C. Burton" <dan@autobahn.org>,
> > LP NEWS <73163.3063@compuserve.com>,
> > Lois Flynne <lflynne@glenn-co.k12.ca.us>,
> > Lois Allen <lallen@rigel.econ.uga.edu>,
> > Carol Moore <carolmoore@kreative.net>,
> > Mike Acree <macree@psg.ucsf.edu>,
> > Vince Miller <71034.2711@compuserve.com>,
> > Jim Elwood <jrelwood@creative.net>, Mark Pickens <mrp7@pge.com>,
> > Vin Suprynowicz <vinsends-request@ezlink.com>,
> > Justin Sobodas <jsobodas@ucla.edu>
> >
> >To National Chair Steve Dasbach:
> >
> > Your press releases are for the most part masterfully written
and
> >ideologically right on target. There is no question that TV programs,
> >"educational" or otherwise should not be subsidized by the government.
> >However I do take strong exception to your descriptions of the Jerry
> >Springer show in the following three paragraphs:
> >
> >> WASHINGTON, DC -- Battling bisexuals, pregnant strippers, and
> >>transsexual threesomes -- thanks to the federal government, your tax
> >>dollars are being spent to closed-caption their antics every day on the
> >>Jerry Springer Show, the Libertarian Party noted today.
> >>
> >> "Libertarians are fervent supporters of free speech, so we
> >>don't object to such programs being broadcast," said Dasbach. "We do
> >>object to the federal government forcing taxpayers to underwrite what
> >>millions of Americans consider to be extremely offensive material."
> >>
> >> How offensive? Over the last year, the Jerry Springer Show
> >>skyrocketed to the top of the daytime talk show ratings, thanks to a
> >>steady diet of Sodom and Gomorrah-style perversity -- including teenage
> >>prostitutes, stage-clearing brawls between black and white racists,
> >>pornographic video actresses, and four-, five-, and six-way love
> >>affairs.
> >
> > Besides being Chair of the San Francisco Libertarian Party and a
> >loyal party member since 1990, I'm also a bisexual who appears in
erotica
> >(aka "porn") videos, and I am quite angered by your apparant attempt to
win
> >propaganda points with the right at my expense.
> >
> > I happen to personally agree that the Jerry Springer show is
highly
> >offensive -- but not for the reasons stated. It's offensiveness comes
from
> >the fact that it portrays people like myself with alternative lifestyles
as
> >circus freaks to be paraded in front of an audience of "normal" folks
who
> >adopt their best holier-than-thou attitudes in the face of this
> >"perversity".
> >
> > The language of your press release caters to this same bigoted,
> >intolerant mentality.
> >
> > You use the word "antics" to describe the activities of the
show's
> >guests; how about the behavior of the host and the live audience? Still
> >worse is the phrase "Sodom and Gomorrah-style perversity," words I find
> >particularly loathsome coming from the head of my party. This
distasteful
> >reference is better suited to a rabid, hate-mongering Christian
> >fundamentalist like Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson.
> >
> > I expect that an apology from the National LP to all the
bisexuals,
> >transsexuals, prostitutes, strippers, erotic video performers, and
people
> >in non-monogamous relationships whom you have offended and ostracized
with
> >your ill-considered and inconsiderate words will be immediately
> >forthcoming.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> > <<< Starchild >>>
> > Chair, San Francisco Libertarian Party
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>