WHATEVER happened to censorship in this great country of ours?

I grew up in the sixties and seventies and therefore consider myself to be reasonably broad-minded. I realise that it is necessary for us as individuals to move with the times in our own attitude towards what we see and hear, either on television or radio or in the papers.

As a parent of two teenagers and manager of a local youths football team, I am not unfamiliar with the type of language which used to be contained to places where it was not considered offensive. And I, like many of my generation, am saddened by the way our rights are being continuously abused. An example of this is a film currently being extensively advertised locally with the offensive title of Austin Powers: The Spy Who ******* Me.

Not having seen the film I am unable to comment on how good or funny it is; it might be hilarious. But should we really have to drive along the road and explain to our children what that word means?

I am appalled and disgusted that the film should be named in such an offensive way to begin with, and even more amazed that such lavatorial language should be so visible to those we are trying so hard to protect.

Is there anything we can do? Or does money talk too loud for us ordinary people to be heard. I would be interested to know what others think.

M. POWSNEY, Baguley Drive, Unsworth.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.