Obama On Pop Culture: I Don't Want Filth On The Air

David Brody recently sat down with Sen. Barack Obama in a one-on-one interview. Brody asked Obama what should be done about the negative tone in today's pop culture.

Watch above, read below:

Obama: The degrading images towards women I think are a problem and when the Imus issue came up, one of the quotes that stirred up a little bit of controversy for me was, sadly, as offensive as what Imus said, was we hear some of that language on the radio in our own communities.

I do think as President you can use the bully pulpit to speak out against some the coarsening aspects of our culture. I am not someone who believes in censorship, but I think there's nothing wrong with speaking out against things that are teaching our kids the wrong lessons.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[rollingdivision]

Politician against broadcast pornography, this isn't really news. So which politician wants filth on the air? Is Obama against cancer too?

[RobinSeattle]

First, you should have warned us that this was a link to the Pat Robertson Network. My computer now feels oh so defiled.

In any event, there should be no content restrictions in the media, be it cable or over the air. Let the marketplace decide. If you don't like it, junk your tv set or don't watch the programs that are offensive to you. If nobody is watching those stations go out of business. Same with radio. Simple conservative economics that most conservatives don't believe in because they are such overweening control freaks. If the Canadians can hear every four letter word in the book on prime time television then Americans should be able to as well in what is supposedly the land of freedom.

It is up to you to raise your kids and not government or third parties. Or television.

[Jazzcomedian]

I lived in Australia, a moral, hedonistic country, for seven years, and starting at 8:30 pm, profanity, s*x, and nudity is allowed on their regular networks. All shows come with advisory warnings. They actually had a series on the air at 9pm called "S*x" which was devoted to the full range of issues with graphic, and explicit pictures--cancelled for low ratings.

They require s*x education in the school system, so STDs, and teen pregnancy are not the problems they are in our more repressed Puritan society. Prostitution is legal, brothels are on the stock exchange, the women have a union, and diseases are regulated vigorously by the government. And even before the internet, pornography was legal in their national capital--Canberra.

Where they draw the line, is that they don't create shows, and films with a lot of gratuitous violence. That is what the Aussies find dangerous and objectionable. They have very strong gun control, and violent crimes in their biggest cities is very minor compared to us. Vile gangsta rap lyrics are not allowed on the radio, though it is available in clubs. Touring American gangsta rap artists like Snoop and Ice Cube were warned that any anti-social behavior they did would result in immediate expulsion from the country.

Australians have as much a committment to civil liberties, and freedom of expression as we have, but are not reluctant to set reasonable boundaries for the sake of having a decent society. Why can't we?

[pupbayer]

Uh, because Australia has no constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech? Just a guess.

[Myshkin57]

Freedom of speech does not preclude setting boundaries on where and when some songs can be played or some things can be said or which movies can be shown when and on which channels. We do have those boundaries in America. Jazz's point was that in Australia they worry about placing the restrictions in different places and it works better in Jazz's opinion.

[Phil123]

So Obama's against the First Ammendment now?

[Sabreen60]

Comprehension not your long suit, huh. He and anyone else who has the bully pulpit can speak out about whatever they wish. That's the point. I can use this venue to say I don't like a particular view of some writer here but that doesn't prevent the author from continuously presenting their views as long as the owner of this site permits it.

[djelimon]

He didn't say he was going to pass legislation, just speak his mind

[joeyp404]

He's not really against it, he just wants to tweak it a bit from the bully pulpit.

[Phil123]

But he went to Harvard Law School. Doesn't he understand that the entire reason that The Founders wrote the First Amendment was to allow pedophiles to sell pornography on the internet? What else could it be for? Really! Some people are just not educated these days.

[mypov123]

Did you read the quote, he said he "doesn't believe in censorship", but just because you have the right to say something, that doesn't necessarily mean that you SHOULD say it, understand?

[pupbayer]

You closed your quote too soon...it should be he "doesn't believe in censorship BUT."

Never trust anyone who says they support something or they don't support something followed by "BUT."

[PhillyQuaker]

We thought Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was bad, but trust me some of the stuff that is out there today makes that song sound like a nursery rhyme.
Um, Lucy in the Sky almost is a nursery rhyme. It was created based on a picture little Julian Lennon had drawn

[mergina]

And what Mr. Obama would you consider filth? Nudity? Shows about gays or lesbians? TransAmerican Love Story? Or do you speak of the VIOLENCE and death and blood and gore that is ok for most to watch compared to, oh, seeing a bare breast?

[mypov123]

Oh get a grip!

[liseworks]

I think he made that pretty clear - the use of base & derogatory name-calling when talking about accomplished female athletes - is one such example.

[joeyp404]

So when Barack is worried about fiddling with the radio when his girls are in the car, he's listening to Imus? I see.

[mypov123]

Thank you! So far I see one person who was able to fully comprehend his comments.

[MRb1000]

TELL IT LIKE IT IS BARACK. THIS IS BOB JOHNSON WITH HIS BET MESS. MOST BLACK PEOPLE THINK VERY LOW OF BOB JOHNSON. MOST ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE WHEN IT COME TO THIS SUBJECT. WE ARE TIRE OF THIS MESSS. TELL BARACK.

[AryanMjolnir]

Learn to write English. Thank you.

[Sabreen60]

Get a life Aryan!!

[mypov123]

MRB1000 I agree with you. Bob Johnson, who sold out BET to Viacom so he could become the first Black man billionaire, had no right to belittle Barack the way he did during the primaries. As an African American, Barack has defied many of the negative stereotypes people have about Black men. Bob Johnson, however, is a disgrace, period.

[Vermontah]

To the Obama campaign:

Please do not make a cartoon of the US presidential elections. The logo is cute, it's adorable. It's not presidential; it looks like something from Bugs Bunny, or Ratatoulle.

I have been an outspoken Obama supporter since last year. I've volunteered, canvassed in NH and have sent small donations three times. I believe Barack Obama will be a legendary figure in the history of our country (if the nation survives the last seven months of Bush, which I doubt sometimes.)

But I'm occasionally bothered that the twenty-something makeup of the campaign sometimes raises its grad-school head and things like this happen. Please, pass this message along: Don't make a cartoon of this election. This is for real.

The logo is pretentious and dumb. Bag it.

[josephj]

You're responding to the wrong article. This one's about Obama's take on lewd and degrading media culture.

[wndrwrthg]

I grow weary of the constant refrain,"but what about the children?". Well, screw the children. I am an adult and should not have to live my life looking over my shoulder lest someones whelp hear or see something that their parents object to. With the myriad number of stations and music and video machines available to where you can tailor your viewing / listening habits to banish any objectionable or inappropriate from befouling their beautiful minds, there is no need to censor anyone. It is up to the PARENTS to manage their gets viewing and listening habits, IT IS NOT MINE. If you do not want them to see or hear what you deem objectionable, lock them in the closet until they are 35, but do not censor my ability to read, hear or view what I desire.

[AryanMjolnir]

I second that-I am vehemently anti-censorshit. This site likes to do it with it's moderators more often than not.

[hoopesaz]

I don't understand why Democrats rail against big business and it's marketing influence unless that big business is Hollywood or the Pornography business. My kids shouldn't have to endure the marketing prowess of Hollywood anymore than they should have to endure the lies and distortions of Phillip Morris or Exxon.

Democrats only talk about personal responsibility when it comes to parenting. When it comes to making a living or getting an education, it's always someone else's fault. It's really astounding.

[josephj]

I disagree with your statement that this is uniquely a Democrat thing. If any party has been culturally fascistic lately, it's the GOP and the religious right. They've been more opposed to violence in movies and video games. They're even against the teaching of evolutionary science in school!

Obama's expressing a personal opinion, and he explicitly adds that he won't interfere as President. If you're looking to make broad generalizations on cultural fascism, look to the right.

[pupbayer]

"I am not someone who believes in censorship, but I think there's nothing wrong with speaking out against things that are teaching our kids the wrong lessons."

This from the man who enacted the "brush off" from Jay-Z's song that says "If you feelin' like a pimp . . . go and brush your shoulders off" on national television and then subtlely gave his opponent the finger.

Amazing.

[Sabreen60]

Oh please. Most of us didn't even know it was from some Jay-Z song. I wouldn't know Jay-Z from Lay-Z. I don't where you come from, but we've done the brush off since I was kid back in the 60's.

[liseworks]

The brush off the shoulder maneuver is old as the hills - it's been around for years - get a clue.

I myself usually use it with regards to .....well, come to think of it : with regards to people who stir up trouble wherever (whichever post) they go - like you 'always bayin' (instead of tail-waggin' )....

[josephj]

Apparently you haven't heard the second part of the song's chorus?

"Ladies is pimps too, go on brush your shoulders off."

It's not derogatory, it's just having fun!

Besides, a candidate with a teflon coating that thick needs to polish it every once in a while.

[MadJeffersonian]

GIVE ME A DAMN BREAK. People have been doing that kind of stuff before any stupid rappers put it in their songs or videos! My father is 71, soon to be 72, and has done stuff like that for years.

[pupbayer]

Your father ran for president, gave the finger to another candidate, dusted off his shoulder...knowing it would be on national television? Are you Julie Nixon?