|Federal Communications Commission, 11/20/2006|
I must strongly protest your Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture notice issued to KCSM-TV for their 2004 airing of "The Blues: Godfathers and Sons" aired March 11, 2004. KCSM-TV has an excellent record of providing educational programming covering the breadth of American life. Singling out a broadcast of historical artistic interest because of language many of us use daily is the height of hypocrisy. If any of you had visited a schoolyard lately you would realize the futility of trying to shield children from the reality of so-called profane language by policing television broadcasts. The program in question did not use such language to titillate or incite, it merely provided a realistic look at Blues music and musicians.
I had the privilege of meeting Muddy Waters when I was a 15-year old musician in 1965 and have been a blues enthusiast ever since. I have heard and used what you apparently consider inappropriate language for more than 40 years and yet have remained a literate, thoughtful and successful person nonetheless. The idea that observing American life and language reflected in the media is corrupting our youth is laughable. The current administration in Washington has a vendetta against what it considers unbiblical behavior and seeks to stifle viewpoints that reflect the mainstream of Americans who do not share this Puritanical approach to daily life.
I urge you to reconsider this attempt to stifle free expression by an exemplary public broadcasting station and rescind your Notice of Apparent Liability in the above-mentioned case.