Lateefah Simon: “Last week the major leaders of the television and movie industries in the United States met with President Clinton, Vice…”

“Last week the major leaders of the television and movie industries in the United States met with President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and in separate meetings with several of us in Congress to address the issues of glamorized violence and sexual exploitation. President Clinton and the industry leaders are to be congratulated for coming together, an indication that both the leaders of Government and the industry take this issue seriously. Second, while I opposed the Federal Government mandating the V-chip and the ratings system that goes with it, the fact that the industry has decided to address the pressure in the telecommunications bill for them to voluntarily set up a system rather than oppose the proposal in the courts will do some good. It is a signal to the American people that the industry is willing to show self-restraint and that good citizenship can prevail over the profits-at-any-cost philosophy. My experience with this issue suggests that progress can continue to be made without Government entering the constitutionally dangerous field of regulating content and without the industry impairing either its profits or its effectiveness. But because this field that is entered is new in the United States for the industry, there will be some stumbling along the way. The path of real progress is rarely easy in any type of endeavor.”