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The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture
Prometheus Books
August 2006
On Sale: August 1, 2006
320 pages
ISBN: 1591024277
EAN: 9781591024279
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction | Non-Fiction Political | Non-Fiction Religion
Janet Jackson’s infamous "wardrobe malfunction" at the 2004
Superbowl precipitated a nationwide controversy. To judge by
the hysterical reaction, one would think that nothing so
shocking had ever been seen on television. Yet, remarkably,
during the conservative 1950s, similar breast-baring
accidents on television (by Faye Emerson and Jayne
Mansfield) raised barely a stir. Is America on the verge of
another puritanical era? Is this new Puritanism the result
of something more than just concerns for public decency? First Amendment and emerging technology specialist Frederick
S. Lane examines America’s changing attitudes toward decency
and the politics of decency in this timely book. He takes a
strong and unequivocal position that it is inappropriate and
dangerous for the government to try to regulate morality. He
accuses religious conservatives of starting "decency wars"
for motives no more noble than profit and political gain. As
Lane astutely points out, such controversies generate a
flood of books, speeches, and syndicated radio and
television programs. More importantly, they fill the coffers
of conservative politicians and "non-profits." Lane first sets the stage for the current controversy by
reviewing the history of the decency debate from the
invention of the camera as the catalyst for public decency
concerns, through the mixing of morality and politics by the
Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition, to the recent
activist stance by the Federal Communications Commission
against perceived indecency. He spells out strategies for combating the rising influence
of the Religious Right’s puritanical ploys by emphasizing
that decency standards are a private and personal
responsibility, not a matter of law enforcement. He asserts
that we must continuously educate the public regarding the
ruinous effects of government censorship, watered-down
textbooks, and homophobia. Moreover, he stresses the supreme
importance of supporting existing and new organizations to
counteract the propaganda from groups like the Christian
Coalition and Focus on the Family. Including interviews with politicians, religious leaders,
entertainers, and other individuals across the spectrum of
American culture, this compelling book is essential reading
for understanding one of the most fiercely debated social
issues of our nation.
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