Add Source
List Collectors
Add to Collection
I Was There
Add to Want List
Wanted By
History
Edit Show
Set I
Set II
Set III
Comment
On September 19, 1985, Zappa testified before the US Senate Commerce, Technology, and Transportation committee, attacking the Parents Music Resource Center or PMRC, a music censorship organization, founded by then-Senator Al Gore's wife Tipper Gore. The PMRC consisted of many wives of politicians, including the wives of five members of the committee. In his prepared statement, Zappa said
"The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years dealing with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the proposal's design. It is my understanding that, in law, First Amendment issues are decided with a preference for the least restrictive alternative. In this context, the PMRC's demands are the equivalent of treating dandruff by decapitation. (...) The establishment of a rating system, voluntary or otherwise, opens the door to an endless parade of moral quality control programs based on things certain Christians do not like. What if the next bunch of Washington wives demands a large yellow "J" on all material written or performed by Jews, in order to save helpless children from exposure to concealed Zionist doctrine?"
"The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years dealing with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the proposal's design. It is my understanding that, in law, First Amendment issues are decided with a preference for the least restrictive alternative. In this context, the PMRC's demands are the equivalent of treating dandruff by decapitation. (...) The establishment of a rating system, voluntary or otherwise, opens the door to an endless parade of moral quality control programs based on things certain Christians do not like. What if the next bunch of Washington wives demands a large yellow "J" on all material written or performed by Jews, in order to save helpless children from exposure to concealed Zionist doctrine?"
Last Changed By
Eric Simpson
Click 'Edit Show' or the 'Set I(II)(III)' or 'Comment' text to make corrections.
If this is a duplicate or incorrect entry and should be merged, use the Request Merge page.
If this is a duplicate or incorrect entry and should be merged, use the Request Merge page.
etreedb.org
For administrative requests email contact@etreedb.org
This website written by Tom H Anderson and maintained by the etreedb.org community.
For administrative requests email contact@etreedb.org
This website written by Tom H Anderson and maintained by the etreedb.org community.
Cached: Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:52:38 EDT