I was waiting for this to happen. Fox TV network decided not to air an episode of "Family Guy" because it deals with the issue of abortion. The show's creator, Seth MacFarlane is releasing the episode on its DVD series this fall.
Here's the part I was waiting for...a spirited retort from what I assume to be the "choice" side.
Mary Elizabeth Williams, a writer for Salon, discussed last week how this "Family Guy" situation exemplifies how television is not ready and too "timid" to tackle the subject of abortion.
In her article, she gives a lot of examples of tv shows in the past barely brushing the subject of an unexpected pregnancy, quickly weighing the options of abortion or childbirth before choosing to go with childbirth.
She's right about that. Abortion has been brushed by tv with the tiniest of brushes. It's happened a dozen times. An unwanted pregnancy happens to a character on X tv show, and the result is that life is usually chosen.
I think it's because tv executives have a conscience. Everyone knows that abortion is a topic that gets most people squirming. Yes, it is a "legally acceptable procedure" at this time, as Williams points out. However, it is not morally acceptable which is why "Family Guy" is getting the attention it is for the episode they produced. That's also why the character on X tv show usually does not terminate her pregnancy. The viewers wouldn't be able to deal with it, and the show would lose supporters....
Read entire article here.
