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Thursday, September 04, 2008
Angelina Jolie doesn't Kill - Guns Kill
Angelina Jolie posters of her film Wanted have been banned in the UK by their Advertising Standards Authority. Apparently the gun toting beauty promotes violence by guns.
I suppose posters of Halloween would be ok.
Posted by Moin A Yahya on September 4, 2008 in Film | Permalink
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Comments
While it was once true that the sun never set on the British empire, the UK now remains in total darkness. What should concern us here is how certain elements within Canada are determined to take us down the same path.
Posted by: Alain | 2008-09-04 12:03:30 PM
This story is a good litmus test. To borrow Jeff Foxworthy's bit....
If you think banning this poster is ridiculous, but would not think it ridiculous to ban a poster featuring full nudity, you might be a so-con.
If you think banning this poster is ridiculous and think it would also be ridiculous to ban a poster featuring full nudity, you might be a libertarian.
If you want to see a poster of Angela Jolie naked and holding a powerful gun, you might be a redneck.
Of the first two, only the libertarian can truly claim to be the free speech advocate. The so-con might huff about free speech, but given selective opposition to censorship they really only oppose bans on speech they like (pro-gun speech good; pro-sex speech bad).
Posted by: Fact Check | 2008-09-04 1:00:14 PM
I see FC has just proved my point. Never fails....
Posted by: Alain | 2008-09-04 2:15:38 PM
While it was once true that the sun never set on the British empire, the UK now remains in total darkness. What should concern us here is how certain elements within Canada are determined to take us down the same path.
Posted by: Alain | 4-Sep-08 12:04:33 PM
I like the way you think. Its a very "spot on" observation. The UK is now under so much surveillance that the hoody is the favorite garment there.
Posted by: JC | 2008-09-04 2:28:54 PM
Yes, it appears George Orwell knew his people better than even they suspected, doesn't it? They fought history's most famous police state to a resounding victory, and half a century later, are close to becoming one themselves.
And thus, you become the thing you hate.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-09-04 3:45:00 PM
FC, or a redneck libertarian.
Posted by: TM | 2008-09-04 3:49:46 PM
Now that these posters have been banned in the UK, that should meke them a "hot commodity" maybe triple the value.
Posted by: glen | 2008-09-04 3:53:22 PM
Sorry about the typo, that word should be make.
Posted by: glen | 2008-09-04 3:57:35 PM
Now that these posters have been banned in the UK, that should meke them a "hot commodity" maybe triple the value.
Posted by: glen | 4-Sep-08 3:53:22 PM
Wow, that sounds like a great idea. You should buy a couple of dozen, wait 50 years and go on the antiques roadshow and see how much they are worth.
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-09-04 4:02:24 PM
In answer to FC's example, I guess I'd be a redneck/libertarian. I personally would not be offended by a full-on nude (provided it was done with a modicum of taste and artistic talent), but I recognize that some people would be, and would not consider my existence impoverished to any great degree if the ad company took it down owing to unpopularity. It is when the state presumes to know what is best for us that I get pissed. But then, the term "nanny state" was probably INVENTED with Blairian England in mind.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-09-04 4:06:18 PM
What bugs me is the possibility it isn't the gun that offends British society. In today's England, female flesh probably causes more trouble than anything else. I'd wager that if she was wearing long sleeves and a nice scarf, this poster wouldn't have created such controversy.
Posted by: dp | 2008-09-04 4:21:41 PM
Stig, no need to get nasty, my point was if you start banning things it simply makes them worth more because people are going to want them more.
Posted by: glen | 2008-09-04 4:30:13 PM
Stig, no need to get nasty, my point was if you start banning things it simply makes them worth more because people are going to want them more.
Posted by: glen | 4-Sep-08 4:30:13 PM
The posters haven't been banned, they only can't be used for advertising.
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-09-04 4:57:18 PM
dp, good one!
Posted by: TM | 2008-09-04 6:23:45 PM
I guess the gun culture doesn't sit well with the UK government, but the sight of beautiful bare chested women has not been cut from the famous page 3 of The Sun newspaper.
Posted by: prairie dog | 2008-09-05 8:27:09 AM
Sorry, DP, I have to agree with Prairie Dog. In both print and televised media, nudity is actually a lot more common in the UK than in North America. Who'd have thought it of the land that gave us Victorianism? If you think Canada's liberties are stifled, what with the HRCs and all, the political correctness in Britain is positively suffocating.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-09-05 8:34:11 AM
And this from the country that gave us the Magna Carta and the modern definition of liberty.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-09-05 10:30:03 AM
Ok, feeding time! More red meat!
EU wants to ban 'sexist' TV commercials
MEPs want TV regulators in the EU to set guidelines which would see the end of anything deemed to portray women as sex objects or reinforce gender stereotypes. This could potentially mean an end to attractive women advertising perfume, housewives in the kitchen or men doing DIY. Such classic adverts as the Diet Coke commercial featuring the bare-chested builder, or Wonderbra's "Hello Boys" featuring model Eva Herzigova would have been banned.
The new rules come in a report by the EU's women's rights committee. Swedish MEP Eva-Britt Svensson urged Britain and other members to use existing equality, sexism and discrimination laws to control advertising. She wants regulatory bodies set up to monitor ads and introduce a "zero-tolerance" policy against "sexist insults or degrading images". Ms Svensson said: "Gender stereotyping in advertising straitjackets women, men, girls and boys by restricting individuals to predetermined and artificial roles that are often degrading, humiliating and dumbed down for both sexes." She added: "Gender stereotyping in advertising is one of several factors that have a big influence in efforts to make society more gender equal. When women and men are portrayed in a stereotypical way the consequence may be that it becomes difficult in other contexts to see women and men's resources and abilities."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/2686538/EU-wants-to-ban-sexist-TV-commercials.html
Posted by: Fact Check | 2008-09-05 12:00:04 PM
I've got news for Ms. Svensson--gender equality does not mean we all become hermaphrodites.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-09-05 12:40:57 PM
So, then Ms. Svensson would like to protect the EU from the sterotype that all women carry handguns?
What a bunch of maroons.
Posted by: set you free | 2008-09-05 12:51:21 PM
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