In the days after Janet Jackson forced men, women, and even children to see a fleeting glimpse of her right breast, Americans were too distraught to react calmly. Some called for fines, some a permanent ban on rock and roll, while others would not be satisfied until we invaded a small country or island. Cooler heads prevailed, though, and we realized that greater vigilance and a five second tape delay for live broadcasts would prevent such a disaster in the future.
Now, almost one month later, we have enough emotional distance from that day that we can analyze it rationally. To truly understand the causes and devastating effects of Ms. Jackson flashing our nation, however, the U.S. government and Viacom's MTV must release the archival records historians need to draw clear conclusions about this unprecedented historical moment. The Smoking Gun, the Ralph Nader of the cyber-age, has taken a first step by posting 23 letters of both protest and praise received by the FCC following the Super Bowl. These documents provide an unparalleled glimpse into the collective mentality of American in early February of 2004, a country in some ways much like our present-day American and in other ways far removed from our contemporary lives. Concerned citizen Sharon Jenkins, for example, wrote:
i hope you do investigate the Jackson incident. i am anything but a prude i have owned a strip club and later a adult site but this isnt about 1st admendment rights this is pure lack of respect for american families and decency. Children were watching this and to mix sex/violence like this gives a really wrong message.on a lighter side to flash fake breast adds insult to injury! go getem !..............Owners of adult sites, much like the owners of many blogs, appear ignorant of the basic rules of punctuation and capitalization.
Originally posted on A Frolic of My Own.
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