No one freaked out, no one screamed “PERVERT,” no one even batted an eye. I found the relaxed attitude refreshing and healthy.

Well guess what – people have sex and are really naked underneath those cloths.

I think Americans make too big a deal of such things.

Please know that all of us, including Rep. Shuler, would love to avoid government regulation. We have asked, and are still asking the airlines to self regulate.

Jesse I seriously think that’s great. But why even bother Rep. Heath Shuler? You’ve said it yourself: you prefer the airlines to address your concern directly. You’ve brought it to the attention of the public and the airlines. They know. So why involve the government? When that lady who hated the show “Married with Children” wanted action she contacted FOX and the ADVERTISERS directly. I didn’t agree with her opinion, but THAT’S how you handle a problem and get immediate action. She didn’t hound and nag the government, she worked over the sponsors of the show and got results instantly.

Do the same! However I do agree that unfortunately given the dismal state of U.S. airlines I wouldn’t bet on any response soon, so why not vote with your pocketbook? As mentioned it’s EASY to figure out which airlines don’t use general viewed monitors. Southwest, Frontier, jetBlue are all great airlines, and don’t have general viewed monitors. Tell United and Delta you WILL NOT FLY with them because of the potential for kids to see movies. Also I believe they only use these in their 757 and 767 aircraft domestically. And as airlines upgrade their fleets and retire old planes this will be less and less of a (non) issue as personal in-flight entertainment is a highly valued consumer service.

The biggest problem I find with concerned groups like yours, and many others, is that our legislators are being bogged down, (or bogging themselves down,) with petty reactionary NON-problems. You’d find it odd and irritating if you found out that your elected mayor or governor was being forced to order office supplies, clean the coffee pot, and run mundane errands during his shift. You expect more important responsibilities from a person in a position of authority. Just like I want your, or OUR, elected officials to be addressing health care, civic issues, infrastructure, environmental concerns, DIRECT social issues (like school quality,) and REAL consumer affairs. NOT something that the CONSUMER and silently negotiate with a COMPANY through individual commerce.

You’re a clever and witty writer. Perhaps you’d consider turning your talented and sharp tongue on the airlines who think it’s appropriate to show images of murder, torture, death and rape to a 5-year-old girl and as well as on the grown-ups who apparently can’t make it through a 2-hour flight without seeing films which contain these images.

Thank you for the compliment, but I would dare say the violent movies you speak of are rare and not representative of most airline movies. In fact two recent ones I viewed were the excruciatingly stupid and insufferable films “The Holiday” and “Music and Lyrics.” If I must sit coach through a 10 hour flight to Europe can’t I PLEASE watch something without Hugh Grant, Jennifer Lopez, or Lance Bass in it?

Thanks for the note and all the best… james