All the better to hear you with, my dear

HERE’S THE ACID TEST for libertarians: Would you still oppose government funding of the private sector if the enterprise receiving the money tickled your fancy?

That’s not a theoretical question. Paradise TV in Japan, a satellite channel for adults, broadcasts news for the hearing impaired with nude sign language presenters.

Of course they’re female! But you’re missing the point!

The program received a subsidy from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, which is under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
As this article in the Mainichi points out, the government stopped supplying the money after critics objected to taxpayer funds being used for naked news broadcasts.

As the NICT website says, “The main objective of NICT is to give tangible form to ideas and there is no end to our investigations.”

They took the words right out of my mouth!

Libertarians will be gratified to know that the private sector is more than capable of providing these important services without government assistance. Paradise TV has decided to continue the broadcasts on their own.

The justification for their decision, however, has me puzzled:

“We heard many opinions about how important it is that the disabled be able to enjoy life the same way as those without disabilities,” a Paradise spokesman said.

I agree. But I’ve never needed my ears or sense of hearing to enjoy the undraped feminine form!

To provide in-depth coverage of this story, here is a link to Japan’s Paradise TV. Make sure you do not click on the left button if you are under 18 years of age.

Don’t forget: Examine the site with the proper philosophical detachment as you decide whether this is suitable content for taxpayer funding!