What Is America Coming To?

Sep 27, 2010 by James

*UPDATE* September 30th, 2010. See TLC’s response below.

*UPDATE* according to People.com the Sister Wives are now being investigated by local authorities for felony bigamy. Their investigation will now be handed to the prosecutor. TMZ just received a statement from the Brown family — saying, “We are disappointed in the announcement of an investigation, but when we decided to do this show, we knew there would be risks.” The family continues, “But for the sake of our family, and most importantly, our kids, we felt it was a risk worth taking.”

I woke up this morning and turned on the TV to a TLC commercial and in-between scrambling for the remote I caught a glimpse of a show that truly disturbed me on all levels. I know what you’re thinking and it was not Kate Gosselins face or the Duggars abundance of kids but rather a show called Sister Wives and it’s about Polygamy. I know for an absolute fact that the practice of Polygamy is illegal in this country, not only illegal but outlawed, so I was outraged to see TLC and the Discovery Network portraying it in a good light.

My immediate thought was to bitch so of course I headed right over to TLC, formerly known as “The Learning Channel”, and had to fight my way through a variety of freak shows to find the contact section. I was directed to the Discovery Channel contact page because they own TLC which was a shock to me because I thought Discovery Channel and its affiliates were better than that. I filled out four forms of information before submitting my complaint and it is as follows,

Information needed General Question or Comment
Program/Show Sister Wives
Last Watched unknown
Program Time Primetime(6:00 pm – 2:00 am)
Comments: I find it disgusting and disturbing that Discovery who owns TLC would allow a show that violates the law of the land. I cannot stand that you allow a show that clearly shows polygamy in a decent light all the while knowing that it is illegal in this country and rightfully so. I feel that showing this on my network and in my state and country is illegal and immoral. I have noticed that TLC has changed from “The Learning Channel” to the network of freaks. I thought Discovery and it’s affiliates were about educational programming yet I see ratings are more important than morals or laws. I will be calling my congressman to voice my opinion of this show as well.

TLC RESPONDED WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE,

Dear Viewer:

Thank you for contacting TLC. We appreciate your correspondence and for
taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with us about Sister
Wives.

In an effort to ensure the highest quality programming, comments such as
these are taken very seriously. Each and every comment is forwarded on to
our programming executives for review and consideration. Maintaining the
integrity of all of our networks is our primary goal. It is these types of
comments that contribute to creating change and improving our programming.

Again, thank you for contacting TLC.

Sincerely,

Viewer Relations
TLC

I of course checked that I wanted to receive a reply from them and supposedly I will receive one in a week, but recent events at Discovery Channels headquarters show us that complaining usually doesn’t do shit and neither does taking hostages. So since my plan was ruined before it even began I followed through on my threat and went to my Congressman’s page who happens to be Lamar Smith of Texas. I read through his policies and all of that and decided that he was incompetent and wouldn’t hear my argument out, mainly because he’s a Conservative Republican, so I went to the top. I went to WhiteHouse.gov to submit a complaint about the show to Obama but got distracted along the way by a policy he plans to enact.

While waiting for whitehouse.gov to load I came across an article via the Associated Press that said that Obama, the man who wanted to repeal the Patriot Act, was going to add onto it. The addition to the unconstitutional Patriot Act would force social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to completely re-tool their systems to make it easier for the Federal Government and local law enforcement to place a tap on them. It would also force all internet providers and communications networks, cell phones/telephones, to provide a system to decrypt messages, calls, emails and anything on your phone. Now if you think you’re safe because you’re on Straight Talk, which is owned and operated in Mexico, then think again. The new proposal set to be given to Congress next year would also force foreign companies who operate communications carriers in the U.S. to provide an office here that is capable of assisting the government or law enforcement in decryption and tapping.

So seeing that this was a much larger violation of the law than my Sister Wives issue I angrily typed off an email to the President of the United States.

Mr. President before I start on my issue with a policy you would like to enact next year I would like to explain how my support for you has shifted. During your campaign for President I was a loyal supporter, even working for your campaign in Ohio, I voiced your message loud and clear to my friends, family and total strangers about how much better you will be than the President at that time. I believed your words of hope and change and honestly felt that you would be true to those words. I was wrong Mr. President.

I recently came across an Associated Press article which says your administration is putting the finishing touches on a bill that would allow law enforcement and federal agents to tap the Internet and force those companies to rework their systems to make it easier for LEO’s to tap them. I also see that you want to be able to hack encryption on mobile devices to further tap them. You and I both know that judges do not ask the reason for the tap anymore they just hand out the wiretap warrants like candy. Now that I can vote in this country I can say that if this is proposed next year that I will not be voting for you or anyone you endorse. I thought you wanted to repeal the Patriot Act? If the Government is always watching what its citizens are saying than it is not really free speech anymore but it is restricted speech. If this bill passes into law than you have failed the American people on your pledges and promises to make this a better country than it was during the previous Presidents term. I can assume that the gays in this country should just wait for the next President to get their rights as well; am I correct?

This is the first time that I have ever sent letters to a television network and anyone of power and while I hope my messages are read I sent them knowing they probably wouldn’t be. I don’t care if they’re read but I feel it is my obligation to voice my 1st Amendment right when I feel something is wrong; while I still can. This country is quickly going into the shitter and not enough people are voicing their opinions on anything. The problem with America is that the people are becoming more and more blind to things because people tell them its fine to ignore it because it doesn’t affect them. The truth is everything affects everyone, unless you live under a rock, and the more we remain quiet the faster we won’t have the right to stand up and say no.