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He said, she said: More reaction to BDEA

Two members of Congress weighed in on the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004 just passed by the House of Representatives. Taking the pro side is Tom Delay (R-TX). Providing the opposition view is Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH).

Said Delay, "The television industry, like every other industry, works best when it regulates and polices itself. Yet the industry - - either out of arrogance or ignorance or both - - has chosen to ignore the public's pleas. It's a shame we have to address this issue, but when members of the broadcast industry violate the boundaries of reasonable tolerance, that's exactly what we're forced to do. The House has sent a clear signal to our broadcasters: enough is enough."

Said Tubbs Jones, "It is clear that the American people are concerned about obscenity. I share this concern. I do not believe that the solution rests in restricting the First Amendment. H.R. 3717 was crafted in reaction to perceived increased levels of obscenity on television and radio,, but the bill is a knee-jerk reaction to a serious issue. Instead of legislation that results in censorship, we should vote by consumer choice. We should choose media that are respectful of the family hour, and boycott media that are not...A free media is one of the greatest characteristics of a free society."