Is Censorship Justified?
An Argumentive Essay
The greatest country known to man The United States of America founded on two doctrines: freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Searching for a new way of life, a new way to worship, the Pilgrims migrated here from Europe. Unfortunately, they could not for see that their quest would lead them into an eight year war. Many were killed in this war for what is taken for granted today. It is unfortunate that American citizens are not aware how fortunate it is to have these freedoms. The freedom to speech to say what they please, the freedom of religion to serve whatever God they please, and generally the freedom to do as they please. According to Thurgood Marshall (1969), Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men’s minds. Censorship can be a confusing and some may find it difficult to find balance between free speech and censorship. Sure it may be wrong to clamp down too hard, but certainly there are some things which cannot be allowed and to that point censorship is justified.
Some Americans will say yes to censorship because children could be exposed to course materiel. However with the advancement of technology, parents have the choice, to block out what is not suitable for their children. Additionally, parents should consider teaching their children that there are wrongs in this world and teach them right from wrong. Parents being concerned is understandable because who would want their child to be exposed to filth. Unfortunately, with all the new technology today some filth will still seep through to our children.
The Essay on Children speech and language development
From the time of birth to three years, children’s brain known to grow quickly. This makes it very important for early intervention to treat autism disorder at this age. It needs a therapy hence during this age the children have not yet started going to school hence very available for this exercise. Also at this age children have less ingrained habits. This makes it easier to stop this ...
Let us examine the definition of censorship, “Censorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be, considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient to the government or media organizations as determined by a censor”- (word net).
The operative word within the definition is considered and anything that the government “considers” to be harmful or insensitive or be an inconvenient to the government it will be censored. One rap group is notoriously remembered for producing and performing music that was found to be offensive according to the government and that is The 2 Live Crew. In 1989, the group released an album called, “As Nasty As They Wanna Be”. Their album cover featured four young ladies with their backs turn to the camera and they were adorned in g-strings bathing suits and beneath them and between their legs were the four members of the rap group. As a man, I did not find this cover offensive, but I would not approve of my children viewing this cover at all. Here, is where censorship is justified because the images of women barely dressed with young men between their legs. This is not the message that should be portrayed to young girls. This image and the language that the album included prompted an investigation of this group.
According to the news reports that were aired, in mid-February of 1990 a Broward County sheriff purchased the album and listened to a few tracks. This sheriff then found a judge to label this album legally obscene. On March 9, 1990 Judge Grossman issued an order, stating that he had found probable cause to believe the recording was obscene. The Broward County Sheriff’s office received and copied the order, and distributed it to all record stores that might be selling the album throughout the county. The Sheriff’s office had decided to warn the stores as a matter of courtesy-(Skywalker v. Navarro 1990a).
The Essay on Children And Tv Television Child Time
Effects of Television on Children Children are mainly exposed to television, television violence and television culture at home. Thus parents play a vital role in helping children to make sense of what they see on the television. These days television influences the lives of young children and it is only going to get worst with each passing year. It is very challenging for young children to make ...
Within in days all records stores that were carrying the album removed them and ceased selling out of fear of being arrested for breaking the obscenity law. The decision was reversed and unanimously all agreed that this case should not been tried within the courts put, but within each community or ones household. Censorship does not apply to lyrics of a song but also to wardrobe malfunction broadcast on live television.
One of the most famous failures of censorship was the wardrobe malfunction on February 1, 2004 during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Mega superstar Janet Jackson top was ripped off by Justin Timberlake exposing her breast. This exposure over national airways caused uproar. Approximately over a half of million calls to CBS from angry viewers begin to pour in to the network to express their anger. This uproar caught the attention of the censorship watchdog The FCC (Federal Communications Commission).
They in turn, imposed a $500,000 fine on the network. This exemplifies the need for censorship.
Soon after, the networks called themselves cleaning up television; rear male nudity was now being edited out. I remember my mom would get so excited from looking at the soaps and having the rare chance of viewing her favorite actor rear end. Sporting events and even halftime show performances were even cleaned up. They were stripped of any sexual content including lyrics. My favorite radio station even changed their format in the wake of the controversy. I found it odd when former First Lady, Laura Bush made mention of the incident. She stated that our children should not need to see things like that on television. I could not believe that thanks to Janet Jackson and her star adorned breast along with Justin Timberlake there was censorship on everything. I could not believe that all this uproar was over a breast. Children will eventually see a breast if they have not already.
In conclusion, moments like these can be explained by parents. They can advise their children what is right and what is wrong. They can tell their children that in life things happen and a breast being exposed on television does not suppose to happen. Censorship is justified in some cases but not in all. The government can sometimes impede too much on the privacy.
The Term Paper on The influences of telenovela programs of the two major television network in the philippines
Kapuso or Kapamilya? Which of the two do you prefer? These terms are well-known in the Philippines because this symbolizes the major T. V networks in the Philippines television and this really influences most of the people. Most of the Filipino people always talk about the shows of these two networks, sometimes they even debated about what network has the highest ratings. If someone says Kapuso, ...
Bibliography
Deflem, Mathieu. “Rap, Rock, and Censorship (by Mathieu Deflem).” Welcome to the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Carolina. Mar. 2001. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. .
“Frank Zappa / John Lofton – 1986 CNN Crossfire Apperance – The American View.” The American View: To Honor God, Defend the Family, Restore the Republic. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. .
“Stanley v Georgia.” UMKC School of Law. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. .
Cases Cited
Skywalker Records, Inc. v. Navarro, 739 F.Supp. 578 (S.D.Fla. 1990a).
Skywalker Records, Inc. v. Navarro, 742 F.Supp. 638 (S.D.Fla. 1990b).
Luke Records, Inc. v. Navarro, 960 F.2d. 134 (11th Cir. 1992).