A feature documentary that chronicles the struggles of kids to overcome bullying in their schools controversially received a restrictive "R" rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. Right wing groups like Parents Television Council were thrilled telling the LA Times:
“There's nothing in an R rating that prevents a child from seeing a movie,” said Dan Isett, director of public policy at PTC, who has not yet seen the film. “We feel the MPAA has to be consistent in this regard if it's going to maintain any credibility.”
The
right-wing Parents Television Council have previous mounted protests against shows like Fox's
Glee, ABC's
Modern Family, pop singer Rihanna, this year's Super Bowl half-time show, and just about anything else that is popular and well-like by anyone but the Church Lady and the United States Catholic Bishops Conference.
Other groups not so happy. Bully advocates contend the rating will make the film inaccessible to the very audience it most needs to reach, teens, especially as "R" rated films cannot be shown in schools. The Huffington Post reports that the film's producers the Weinstein Company have petitioned the MPAA to reconsider.
"I find it outrageous," says [Harvey] Weinstein, who has long been renowned for his combativeness. "This is, on a personal level because of my own temper, a redemptive act for me."
"We're hoping that smart people come to their senses," he adds.
Weinstein has threatened to withdraw his future films from the MPAA rating system. But John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, has reminded him that such a tactic would result in theaters treating unrated films as NC-17 movies, which can kill a film's artistic or commercial success.
The movie's opening in Birmingham Michigan was the site of
protest rally over the weekend.
Now Congress is getting into the act, from The Hollywood Reporter:
We are writing to express our sincere disappointment in the MPAA’s decision to issue an ‘R’ rating for the soon-to-be-released documentary Bully," the bipartisan group, led by Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) wrote in a letter accompanying the press announcement. "This important project shows the real life anguish of many teenagers in this country who are tormented, harassed, and bullied by their peers. This truth should be shared with as wide an audience as is appropriate and possible. We believe an R-rating excludes the very audience for whom this film is desperately important.”
Rep. Honda's letter can be viewed at his website.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) too has embraced the efforts to lobby the MPAA tweeting this morning:
Sen. Gillibrand also announced her intention to draft a letter to her colleagues:
I'll post the letter in an update when it becomes available.
The Change petition is currently closing in on 300,000 signatures and got a nice bump when talk show host Ellen Degeneres discussed it on her show recently and hosted the petition starter, Katy Butler.
Katy Butler wrote on Change:
I’m speaking out for all those students who suffer every day at school.
When I was in 7th grade, a few guys came up behind me while putting my books in my locker. They called me names and asked me why I even bothered to show my face at school because no one liked me. I ignored them because I was scared of what else they might say and who else they might tell if I stood up to them. When I went to shut my locker, they pushed me against the wall. Then they slammed my locker shut on my hand, breaking my fourth finger. I held back tears while I watched them run away laughing. I didn’t know what to do so I stood there, alone and afraid.
I just heard that the Motion Picture Association of America has given an “R” rating to “Bully” -- a new film coming out soon that documents the epidemic of bullying in American schools. Because of the R rating, most kids won’t get to see this film. No one under 17 will be allowed to see the movie, and the film won’t be allowed to be screened in American middle schools or high schools.
As she's only 17, she won't be old enough to see the film that chronicles life experiences much like her own.
Ironically, the film's R-rating is mean to shield youths from the effect of the language used by youths in the film. The petitioner had this to say when
Katy recently chatted with MSNBC's Thomas Roberts:
>> i think we can definitely win. i think taking out the language in this movie is taking away from the message. the message is so strong. and the language in the movie is the language kids hear every day and the language kids are bullied with. if we go in and take it out, it is definitely taking away from that. nobody goes into schools and edits out the language kids hear in schools, it just doesn't happen.
You can sign the Change.org petition here.
• In case you missed it: Yesterday,
I wrote about a milestone victory by Southern Poverty Law Center and National Center for Lesbian Rights in their lawsuit against Minnesota's Anoke-Hennepin school district. The Department of Justice and Department of Education were key allies in making this win possible.