Subversive/Patriotic TV

Wednesday, 3-9-2006 (1448 words)
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Note: Subversive TV shows promote undemocratic and unconstitutional values. These can be defined as militarism, glorification of militarism, colonial expansionism, de-civilianization, putting wrong emphasis on the military, and tokenism for the role of congress, the people’s representatives. Patriotic TV shows portray civilians engaged in responsible civilian activities. But you let me know what you think.

Subversive TV Programs
The following subversive programs save the day by military means.

1. Stargate SG1. Three to four likeable main characters solve humanity's problems without consulting congress or the American people. They feel they know that the military can best solve problems, and in secret, hidden from public scrutiny, from deep within a mountain. Produces: Brad Cooper and – Bright. UPN-TV
2. Stargate Atlantis. The same Constitutional flaws as above.
3. Mighty Morphing Power Rangers. Another military group -- this one that indoctrinates children -- solves profound problems without the OK from the public. The unconstitutional premise is that the ends justify the means, especially if the solution is executed with flair, color, and excitement.
4. The Sixth Ring. The nearly exclusive focus on military doodads and plans makes the US look like a national security state that is unconcerned with civilian authorities.
5. The Unit. Glorifies the invasion of Afghanistan and, by extension, the militarization of civilian society. The producers plucked the phlegm-voiced main character right out of Keifer Sutherland’s "24." Today's segment (Tue. 3-14-06) ends with the man he captured for interrogation opening the plane’s door and suicidally jumping out. If this part was based on a true event, I suspect that he was thrown out so that he could not implicate higher ups, but now sanitized to make Bush’s war look good. The segment made wives look shallow and self-absorbed, waiting for their military husbands to come home. Throughout, the complicit wives congregate at home, obsessing over their husband's military jobs. They don’t tell their stupid husbands to stop being absentee dads. I guess this makes them stupid too. Stupid women deserve stupid men.
6. NCIS. Each week the taciturn, no nonsense US Navy commander -- with "FEDERAL AGENT" plastered in white on the back of his black jacket -- and his high testosterone, wise-ass crew, aided by a female Israeli spy, invade American civilian territory to catch a criminal not in their jurisdiction. The civilian police are made to look incompetent or silly, hence irrelevant, while his Navy has all the answers.

Semi-Patriotic TV Programs
These shows emphasize moderation in most activities.

1. The West Wing. A paradigm in civilian control; the president makes far ranging choices that impact all citizens.
2. Madame President. The first female president does the business and the scriptwriters and the show's producers make congress look like a collection of schemers.

Patriotic TV Programs
Patriotic TV shows are not about the executive branch.

1. Veronica Mars. An intelligent high school student intelligently solves crimes in her neighborhood. It's patriotic because it portrays her and other civilian citizens in a favorable light, doing responsible things.

Unfortunately, there are no adult TV programs focusing on members of Congress, the people's representatives. There should be.

There is a paucity of shows about the serious lives of the American people, outside of a plethora of police shows that are multiplying like rabbits. By their nature, they put ordinary civilians into criminal "sitdrams," (situation dramas) in an unfavorable light.

The multitude of comedies on air is little better; they put people into situational inanities. Because this is what people are not about, these shows make common citizens look shameful, degraded, and pitiful, hence unpatriotic and deserving strick control from authorities. No one seems to see control as a problem in a democratic form of gov.

Such a large number of police and military and sitcom shows, and an embarrassing paucity of civilian shows that treat civilians with intelligence, may indicate that society is generally more accepting about moving toward a police ideal and a diminishing respect for civilians and a civilian form of gov.

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file: SubversiveTV1