None of you seems to understand what is happening.

There are some facts here:

1. This film wasn't censored by the ABC network from network headquarters, but by ABC affiliate stations around the country, specifically affiliates owned by Scripps and Cox.

2. The affiliate didn't censor the film because of fear of viewer backlash that would cost them advertising revenue, which is the usual reason why networks and/or affiliates censor controversial programming. For the first time ever, this film was censored by the affiliates because of fears of the governmental interference in the form of fines by the FCC for the obscene language in particular.

3. The extreme violence of this film does not appear to bother the right wing conservatives who often complain about TV violence, who for the first time are backing the network decision to run this film unedited in prime "family viewing" time.

4. This media controversy appears to have at least one thing in common with another recent media fracas: the decision by CBS to pull the airing of the made for TV movie about Ronald Reagan.

5. The issue isn't the obscenity of the graphic violence (which is obscene really--I've seen the film too), but rather the use of obscene language in the film. The word 'fuck' is heard repeatedly in the film. The FCC heavily fined the network and affiliates who carried the Grammy awards without the bleep delay, when U2 lead singer used the same word in his acceptance speech.