'Book of Daniel' television series offensive

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

This letter appeared in the Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) on 11 January 2006.

This item may be cited as M. R. Franks, Letter to the Editor: 'Book of Daniel' television series offensive, Baton Rouge Advocate, January 11, 2006, at 6B.

Dear Editor:

Last Friday, my wife and I watched the television premiere of "Book of Daniel" on NBC, locally aired on WVLA-33. Mass media's attack on organized religion moved into high gear in this sitcom featuring a drug-addicted priest, embezzlement and lesbianism in the rectory, and offensive language including the word "penis," all during the 9-to-10 p.m. viewing slot. Having Jesus Christ appear as a sitcom character goes over the top.

I find this program offensive to Christianity. They would not dare air a sitcom depicting a drug-addicted Islamic imam, with Allah himself making cameo appearances. Yet the Christian population of the United States outnumbers the Muslim population 76-1.

Stations carrying and sponsors sponsoring this trash can spare us the sob story of how local stations are compelled to air what the network feeds them and how they have no control over program content. That's exactly what the porn shop operator says about the magazines he stocks.

Let's hope our local station will consider the sensibilities of its audience, pull this show, and give us instead Lawrence Welk reruns if they must, anything but this sacrilege.

Maurice R. Franks
law professor
Baton Rouge

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