Should Kathy Griffin be censored for her critical remarks against Jesus and religion in her Emmy Award's acceptance speech? FOX thinks so, and the comedienne's comments have indeed been removed from the show, along with certain anti-war statements from another Emmy winner, Sally Field. Christian activists have spoken out against Griffin's statement that "a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus." Is there anything wrong with what she said?
Griffin clarified what she meant during her appearance on CNN's Larry King Live. In her conversation with King, Griffin stood up for herself and her comments, saying that she firmly believes that Jesus should be doing more important things than helping celebrities win awards. She mentioned the fact that children are dying in Darfur, and yet some celebrities insist that God or Jesus should be there for their award rather than addressing more important issues such as that.
The incident with censorship at the Emmy Awards has started other discussions on religion. Today on CNN Headline News, viewers were invited to send in emails regarding whether or not the issue of religion is a private matter, or whether it is acceptable to speak openly about one's religious beliefs in such public settings as award's ceremonies and sporting events, where atheletes often thank God and Jesus for trivial things such as homeruns and touchdowns. The conversation is ongoing and given the diversity in America it is unlikely that there will ever be a consensus on the issue, yet it is interesting to see how it has impacted communications today. Censorship should not be taken lightly, no matter how trivial the setting. Yet perhaps the FCC should decide upon regulations for such instances, so that everyone will know in advance what can or cannot be shown on television. Kathy Griffin will get her opinion out either way.
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