Beyer “astonished” that he is being ignored
In a news release responding to the government’s recent “respect” initiative to combat anti-social behaviour, John Beyer has expressed his astonishment that the measures don’t include the state censorship of television which his organisation has been campaigning for all these years.
The crux of his argument remains the same as ever, and is laid out in all its glory in the central paragraph of his letter to Michael Grade, Chairman of the BBC:
Our detailed monitoring of a number of films shown on television over the last fifteen years shows that depiction of violence involving firearms is by far the most common followed by depictions of violent assaults and the use of offensive weapons including knives. The latest British Crime Survey statistics show that it is precisely these types of crime that are on the increase.
There is something almost tragic about someone basing their whole life’s work on a logical fallacy. If Beyer were ever to develop an understanding of the difference between correlation and cause, would he lay down his green pen and stop taking calls from lazy Daily Mail reporters looking for a rent-a-quote?
Unlikely. Despite decades of research and numerous case studies, there has never been any conclusive evidence that points to a causal link between media violence and real-world violence. So his conviction that there is such a link is faith-based. And, as a wise man once said, you cannot reason someone out of a belief which they did not arrive at by reason.
You can, however, make fun of them.
I think most people realise that the violence on TV isn’t real. The worst reaction anyone could have is a nightmare!
Someone needs to alert Beyer to the fact that violence actually existed before the television was invented.
Beyer seems to think the increase of firearms and knife related crimes is to do with what’s being shown on Television.
But could it be a far more bigger problem than that? Could those who carry out these crimes actually have a (shock, horror) REASON for doing so? Could they just be plain evil and fucked up!
Not according to Beyer who maintains that it was the Telley that made em do it. I’d like to see that defence stand up in court.
Hmm. If violent media causes violence, then I think he’d better start campaigning for a certain book to be banned…
LONDON, REUTERS 12/01/06 09.32 – An environmental group is calling for an end to all TV-chef programmes because they have led to farmers’ fields being raided for basic ingredients. Even the giant articulated lorries carrying goods up and down Britain’s motorways have been held up and foodstuffs taken at gunpoint, say police.
Now, the group Concerned Users of Nature’s Tasty Sustenance (CUNTS) are calling for TV companies to end all cookery programmes, because they claim viewers are becoming supercooks overnight, and become demented in their search for ingredients to use in their culinary experiemnts.
“It’s total chaos,” said a group spokestwat. “All the basic foodstuffs in the country are disappearing. People are being held up in the street and, at gunpoint, being forced to empty their shopping bags. Supermarket trolleys are being hijacked. Children as young as 23 are becoming crazed by the undue influence these irresponsible television programmes are having on them.”
The group says the trend has also led to an increase in childhood obesity, as cookery-mad parents force-feed their kids at knifepoint with the products of their frenzied, illegal activities.
“It’s a problem,” said a police spokesewoman. “But we’re hopeful that it will abate now it’s come to the attention of CUNTS.”
ENDS.
I think my daughter was more intelligent than Massah Beyer is, when she was just six years old.
When I expressed a small level of concern about the violent cartoons she was watching on the Cartoon Network channel, she looked at me, sighed and declared: “Well it’s not REAL daddy!”
Perhaps she should get in touch with Massah Beyer and tell him that!