by J.S.B. Morse

I
The female breast has been around for quite a while. It has been around longer than any of us have been around. It has been around since the beginning of man (or should I say wo-man). Most everyone has taken the life-supporting milk that comes from it, and in the case of half of the population, it is seen every day. Suffice it to say, it has a well-established presence in the world.

Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson "performing"

Why, then, have people as of February 2, 2004 decided to be shocked by seeing one? Could it be the fact that it was shown during the day in front of a worldwide audience in the hundreds of millions? Could it be that it was desecrated by some odd little metal covering? Could it be that it was revealed at a half time of the most violent of major sports? Could it be that there were millions of impressionable minds paying attention to it? I contest that the shock does not come from any of these, but comes from the fact that it was the result of an unartistic, childish, degrading way.

The only purpose of the entire 2004 Super Bowl half-time show was to shock and to offend. And while the suits at MTV, the network that produced the show, chuckled in their 50 tall jackets, the world was wondering, "How could they do that?"

The fact that a female breast was revealed in the middle of the day on national television should not be condemned. It should, perhaps be celebrated, considering the beauty it possesses. What should be condemned is the tastless portrayal of sex-hungry depraved children on stage ripping clothes off in a show of barbarianism.

The standard for the FCC is that networks will show no nipple area at all. This was violated, but even if it had not been violated, the performance was inappropriate. If there is a time and place for pornography, it certainly isn't during the most heavily watched time slot of the year.

The entire idea of what to show and what not to show should be examined. I was infuriated a week ago when watching one of the big four networks. The film Casino was on in the middle of the day and one of the scenes contained the characted played by Joe Pesci stabbing another characted in the neck. This footage was very graphic and very realistic. yet four minutes later it blurred out the picture of a nude female. Are we to assume that killing is not a big deal, but a beautiful woman IS?

There is a serious problem with the way things are being filtered in order to get to our population (including young children). If I were a parent, I would have trouble owning a television.

Gisele Bunchen in the Pirelli calendar 2001

I don't condone the exposure of nude people constantly on television, but a tastefully done display of the breast (outside of sexual context), should not be frowned on more than a stabbing scene or in the case of the Super Bowl half-time show, sexual violence.

In the world of political correctness, it appears that we, as a culture have lost our idea of right and wrong and are concentrating far too much on the what's-allowed and the what-isn't-allowed.

So, here's to more breasts, and less battling.