By Garret Merriam Anyone who tried to go see American Pie, South Park or The Blair Witch Project probably noticed that over the past summer the Motion Picture Association of America has tightened its dictatorial grip around the eyes and ears of citizens under the age of 17. It's no longer enough to merely inform parents of the content of the films. Now the MPAA has to assume the parental role themselves by restricting the access of other people's children. A private body, not one legislated by the United States, not one imposed by the people of this country, has the power to dictate what citizens of this country can and cannot do. It's nothing new of course.
Kids are the last legitimate second-class citizens.
I realize that political power is illusory, but at least adults are granted the pleasant delusion that what we think actually matters to anyone other than ourselves. Even in a pretend democracy people of all ages should be allowed to believe that they have a voice of some kind. I'm not suggesting that a governmentally imposed rating system would be an improvement. As the lesser of two evils, the MPAA derives the best argument in their favor from the contrast. But when a veil is placed over your eyes it matters little who put it there.