Have you noticed that sometimes stupid things are done with the best of intentions?
People who I'm sure are trying really hard to be sensitive will enact things that are simply ludicrous in a desire to either be politically correct, or else not to offend a person, or persons, or a group of some sort.
We had the recent example of the song, "Money For Nothing" by the group Dire Straits that came out way back in the mid-80s, which all of sudden was found to contain a word that might offend someone, so it was banned from Canadian airwaves after over 25 years of play.
That was an example of pure stupidity run rampant.
Now, in what might be an attempt to be sensitive, a number of TV stations and networks have pulled any Simpsons episodes that might contain derogatory references to a nuclear power plant, which happens to be the main industry in the town of Springfield where the Simpsons reside, and where Homer happens to work (when he works).
The reason, of course, is the tragedy which has hit Japan, caused by a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami wave, both of which combined to kill many thousands of Japanese, with over 10,000 still listed as missing. As if all this disaster wasn't bad enough, one of the results of the shifting of the earth were problems at a large nuclear power plant at Fukushima, north of Tokyo.
The fears of millions of Japanese are whether the plant will have a meltdown, and whether deadly radiation will get into the beleaguered country's water and food supply. Some reports are indicating that traces of radiation are in fact showing up in some sources of food and water for a great number of the Japanese people.
This is a highly-worrisome and dangerous crisis for the country of Japan, and whatever can be done for them I'm sure will be; many countries have offered help in any way they can as that country deals with the devastation and death caused by the quake, after-shocks and tsunami waves.
With this in mind, does anyone seriously think that an animated TV show that is irreverent and funny and pokes fun at literally anybody and everybody in politics or in show business is actually intending to make fun of the Japanese tragedy? Seriously?
I think the words, "get a grip" would be relevant here. The thing is, any shows about the nuclear plant are specifically about that one, in Springfield, and were done years before the tragic events that hit Japan. It's good to be sensitive, yes - but there is such a thing as taking things too far.
