I guess this is a different complaint to political correctness than I was thinking. I think my answer is still about the same though:
I don't think that the US and countries like it are ready for that. While I agree that old programs shouldn't be edited to today's standards, I do think we need political correctness.
If it isn't obvious now, it'll never be obvious in the future that it's the parent's fault. However, I do believe that showing in force that it is the parents fault should wipe the creator's hands clean.
That's basically why I'm for the ESRB. If Cindy Lu Who wants to buy her kid, "Grandma Kills the Babies with a Chain Saw 4", when it is clearly marked with the ratings on the front and the back, then they can't turn around and sue because they feel their child is emotionally damaged.
Pardon my language, but that is fucking stupid! You don't see things like parents suing alcohol companies for their kids becoming alcoholics because they let them do underage drinking! Why should it be any different for any other product!? That's why I hate Jack Thompson, I'm sure he knows the same crap, but he's taking advantage of his followers because he knows they don't! It's a penny chaser, like selling Dinosaur Insurance to people coming out of a Jurassic Park film!
That said, kid shows should stay kid shows. Pokemon shouldn't just start allowing Ash and friends to curse and show Jessie, James, Meowth, and Giovanni with alcoholic beverages in the American version. The rating system is in place, parents should expect the show to stay in that range. Sure it'd probably get higher ratings with an older audience, but that still a bad idea. Just like Toonami should stay a teen/pre teen block, and Adult Swim a young adult/ adult block. Warnings should be established, AS shouldn't go back to PG and TV14 rated shows only.
It's just not possible to control what a kid does 24/7, but you can at least control their environment.
I guess, though, I can be conflicted because I don't believe letting people smoke and drink on screen makes kids want to smoke all the time. I think it has more to do with the role model factor. Showing superman smoke= bad, showing Dr. Doom smoke = not so bad. I think this should be case and point in one piece, making Sanji a smoker will probably influence kids to smoke, but making smoker smoke isn't. I guess I should also add that I like how they handle alcohol in the new one piece. Kids don't need to be told that it is juice, they'll believe that it is juice or something non-alcoholic if nothing is said. If someone points out that it is milk, people will get suspicious, just censor the sign don't shovel ideas down their throats.
Some of the old cartoons really are designed to influence kids to smoke, or at least view smoking in a good light. (I don't mean like in 101 Dalmatians or the Rescuers, but in old cartoons showing characters like Bugs bunny or Daffy Duck smugly enjoying a cigar or something) still don't believe they should be censored, I just think it should be something shameful that the company should live with. I mean, there are tons of old cartoons that are banned, and boy do they deserve to be, but it shouldn't be something they suddenly should hide.
/end rant
