LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[July 20th, 2005] TUBE BOOB

I don't see the hullabaloo by Stephanie Snow and the Parents Television Council about sex and violence on TV [Q&A, WW, July 13, 2005], as all TVs 13 inches or larger manufactured after Jan. 1, 2000, must have V-Chip technology. Set-top boxes that allow consumers to use V-Chip technology on their existing sets are now available. The rating system, also known as "TV Parental Guidelines," was established by the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable Television Association and the Motion Picture Association of America. These ratings are displayed on the television screen for the first 15 seconds of rated programming and, in conjunction with the V-Chip, permit parents to block programming with a certain rating from coming into their home.

There's also something called an on/off switch and channel changer on TVs and remotes that can be used when parents find a program objectionable. It should be noted that the majority of the complaints to the FCC concerning TV programming comes from the PTC and isn't representative of the average viewer. The group is just another attempt by the Religious Right to impose their version of morality on the rest of us.

Tara Taylor
Northwest Johnson Street

RON IS NO DICK

I must take issue with the Nose's July 13 characterization of Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron Saxton as a "moderate." There was a time when I had great respect for Mr. Saxton, whose office shares an important feature with my home: a lovely poster from the re-election campaign of that great moderate Republican president, Richard M. Nixon (known to his followers simply as "The One"). I thought that Saxton, like Nixon (who invented the Environmental Protection Agency, supported affirmative action, and increased spending on Social Security and poverty programs) understood the value of an activist government.

But for the past two years, Saxton, in his lust for right-wing Republican primary votes, has used the free air time provided by KATU-TV to morph himself into Lars Larson Lite, spewing a steady stream of mindless anti-tax, anti-government rhetoric. His commentaries, with few exceptions, were, like Lars', all attack and no solution.

At this point, unlike those truly moderate Republicans who describe themselves as RINOs-"Republicans in Name Only"-Saxton would seem to be a MIRO, or "Moderate in Reputation Only." If I were to visit Saxton's office today, I suspect I would find that Nixon has turned his face to the wall in shame.

Steve Novick
Southeast Nehalem Street