AFA of PA ACTION ALERT

March 30, 2011

Issues  (check corresponding number in ‘Details’ and ‘Action’ Sections)

1.)     Trash TV Set to Get Trashier

2.)    House Armed Services Subcommittee Hearing on Homosexuals in Military

Details

1.)    In July 2010 a three-judge panel of the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York said the Federal Communications Commission’s indecency policies violate the First Amendment and are “unconstitutionally vague, creating a chilling effect that goes far beyond the fleeting expletives at issue here.”   We had been led to believe that the Obama Administration was going to appeal that decision to the US Supreme Court, but it appears that may not to be the case!  Click here for more information.  

Simply put, if there is no appeal, the Second Circuit decision will stand – and that will open up the floodgates for all manner of indecent and profane content on broadcast television at the times when children are most likely to be watching. A senior FCC official told Broadcasting & Cable “The Second Circuit decision was so broad in scope that it leaves us little or no ability to address broadcast indecency at this time.There is no guarantee how the Supreme Court would rule, but this is too important an issue to be left to a three-judge panel.

2.) On Friday April 1st there will be a Military Personnel Subcommittee hearing concerning the ramifications of implementing the LGBT Law for the Military which permits homosexuals to serve openly in the military.  Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) is holding this hearing, now the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Buck McKeon needs to step up to the plate and hold committee hearings too.  The flawed Pentagon report issued on November 30th did not address the known problems that will arise if homosexuals are permitted to serve.  It also ignores the fact that over 60% of combat troops said do not lift the ban on homosexuals.

Action Steps

1.) If we don’t act, nudity and profanity will be permitted in television programming anytime of day.  Image what it will be like in 5-10 years!  Contact the Whitehouse and send a message to President Obama demanding a United States Supreme Court appeal of the Second Circuit ruling.  Ask him to instruct the Solicitor General’s office to file an appeal to the decision which threw out all the FCC’s broadcast decency rules.  Use the form at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact or leave comments at Comments: 202-456-1111.

2.) Contact Congressman Joe Wilson at (202) 225-2452 or (843) 521-2530 and thank him for holding these hearings.  Ask him to include these questions in the hearings on Friday – click here.   If you know of any active duty military who is concerned about the implementation of the LGBT Law for the Military, have them contact the Center for Military Readiness through their confidential contact form at http://cmrlink.org/confidential.asp

As the military is currently being forced to go through sensitivity training on the Pentagon’s new zero tolerance policy on homosexuals, the House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon needs to also hold hearings.  Click here to listen to our 2-minute Weekly Update for more information on how this is being done.   Please make two phone calls and ask Congressman McKeon to hold hearings – contact him at (202) 225-4151 and (202) 225-1956.     Additionally, four PA Congressmen are on the House Armed Services Committee – Bill ShusterTodd Russell PlattsRobert Brady and Mark Critz Only two – Mark Critz and Bill Shuster — voted against the stand alone bill that repealed the ban on homosexuals in the military.  Please contact them and ask that they urge Chairman McKeon to hold hearings.  Click here for their contact info.

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