Are we a censored nation in America?

Question

Do you believe in censoring the profane and offensive? Should we cover our childrens' ears to ideals that the majority think may be morally harmful? What would offend you to the point of censorship? Have you ever participated in censorship?

I hope no one would grade our level of censorship on a curve. Stating that other nations are more censored than us, isn't the point of my question.

Answer 1

i can understand certain things, graphic sex or violence on daytime tv, certain language on the radio, etc. but the government has taken it way too far. the current cabinet in office pretty much has the attitude of "i speak directly for jesus, and if you dont agree with me, you're wrong". its to the point where ppl cant speak their minds, and if you try to disagree with someone you're blacklisted as someone who "hates america" or "sides with the terrorists". theres no respect for the men who founded our country, and who fought and died to have their own voice and allow us to make our own decisions.

Answer 2

It all depends on what you think should be censored, and who gets to decide that? Who gets to say what is offensive? I am a Christian, and have been hearing tons of news about atheists or other religions finding Christian symbols "offensive". How is that offensive? What is "profane"? Is swearing more profane than seeing some chick's nipple on t.v.? I would personally rather my kids heard someone say a bad word, than see someone naked on t.v. I also find the news to be offensive. Whatever happened to being objective? And who thought it was a good idea to put violent images on the news? As for the shows that people can choose to watch or not watch, tell that to the child who catches an episode of Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, or worse on in the morning before school. There's a reason these things were originally on late at night. They are not so much morally harmful as psychologically so. So I think censorship is not a good idea, but common sense? That would be nice.

Answer 3

makes you think (BTW China is way more censored!) but onto the conecept of censorship alone. It's a question of...Do we want our people (or children) to be exposed to a certain thing? If it's profanity for example it may be good to censor it from younger children, but as kids grow older they here that language at school anyways. In my opinion though, moving away from that example and onto censorship in general, censorship is stupid, it's likely that a person can find about these things one way or another (depending on the scale of censorship of course). So...I'll shut up and answer your questions....
1. No
2. No
3. Nothing, it's better to be exposed to the harsh reality of life, than to be sheltered inside a little bubble.
4. Occasionally, when others have pressured me into it. (So what if you say *** in front of the kid? WTF yahoo censors it?)

Answer 4

The concept behind The Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech, but doesn't guarantee your right to act solely to shock your intended audience. I can stand on a soapbox in the middle of Main Street and describe in profane detail what I'd like to do to a criminal that molested a child. That is my legal right. I am not, however, within my rights to pull out his picture and urinate on it, burn it, chop it into little pieces, burn him in effigy, etc. This fact really hasn't changed much over the years, rather our tolerance and expectations to get by with stretching these rules have changed. Even the Boston Tea Party that effectively started the Revolutionary War was acknowledged by those that participated as an act of civil disobedience. They didn't expect to just get by with it. They understood that if they got caught they would be persecuted for their actions.
In my opinion, the real censorship in America comes from the media who won't print, publish, play music or TV programming that doesn't play to their 'target audience" because, they say, it just doesn't sell!. They tell us what to believe, what to buy and how to react by their bias choices of what we see! We all participate when we buy what they sell without demanding a better selection or more widestream choices. How many award winning documentaries on the environment, sociology, religion, and politics go largely unnoticed because of a lack of public awareness. Do you really think the only worthwhile music comes from "top 40" in any gendre? The only worthwhile topics on the local 6 o'clock news? The only worthwhile TV - American Idol?
Getting back to your original question, if you take away the shock value of the act of, say burning the flag, walking around nude, throwing blood or paint on a monument or object or whatever, did what they have to SAY -as that was the point in getting your attention - really impress you? Most people can't even tell you the specifics of what these people say after the offensive act - probably because it wasn't that important to them anyway! I bet you could ask 100 people on the street, and can't find 10 who could tell you what the Oklahoma bomber said and it was published in almost every newspaper.

Answer 5

The LAST 2 things on earth I'd give an innocent mind would be a Biblical teaching and a television.

*** That is, unmediated media, that's taken for granted can cause MUCH unnecessary hardship. Of course, forcing anything wouldn't be my prerogative... which is a delicate kind of thing. I don't ever wish to say X Y Z are absolutes, therefore OBEY. No one accepts this scenario.

Should i let a child try LSD as well?
wouldn't that be a kind of censorship...?

Answer 6

Yes, we are a censored nation. It's gone too far. If people don't want to hear profanity and watch explicit TV shows and movies, they should be able to do that. But that shouldn't mean that those who do not care or get offended by such material have to be prevented from listening to and watching it.

Answer 7

We SHOULD censor media in America. Children will not make objective choices on their own. This much is proven. What they view they may not always have been told about previously. I think every dysfunctional adult has the right to sue the FCC for lack of regulation of the media that may have damaged them in their younger years...

Answer 8

I wrote this blog one day. I thought you might like to read it.

Title: Hide me Away

I was playing with my niece today and we were hiding from my mom under a blanket. I realize while sitting there that I feel like that an awful lot. I’m so scared that I need to hide under a blanket because someone could get me and it feels safe if you can't see it. I’m so scared to get close to someone because if they got to close they might see the real me and they would hurt me or break my heart. I have had people get close and I always push them away. By the time I want them to come back to me there already to far away from me. Even when they promised me they’d never let go of me or leave me... By having wars and fights, kidnappers, and murderers out in the world we also teach our children to hide. The are taught to be fearful. They don't deserve to be scared. I mean kid are scared of the boogie man or the green one-eyed monster in the closet. Realize how scared they would be if they could see all that’s in the world. We hide them away from everything and when they grow up they think they are invincible and they fight back at the fear which eventually causes them to be fear for there child’s life. Is a stupid stupid endless cycle. Bu thow do you stop it? Why do you have to fear? When a mother crosses the street with there children her first reaction is to grab a hold of the child’s hand, because of the fear of the child being hit by a car. There is always fear and it’s extremely rare to have a place where you feel safe. I lay in bed at night and feel safe because my dad is home and the door is locked. I know as soon as my dad would leave or the door wouldn’t be lock I wouldn’t feel quite as safe. But shouldn’t it be that if I lay warm in my bed whether my father was home or the door was lock I should feel completely safe. That’s exactly how it should be. I live in a very small town, can you imagine what it would be like in a huge town... like New York City? Or Chicago, which isn’t even that far away. People are so scared, by why should we be? The only way people feel real emotion anymore is if you get hurt which makes you fear. Being scared is an awful feeling. When you in the “bad part” of town you lock the doors to your car to keep you safe. So do you stand up to the fear and look it in the eye or do you step back and hide under the covers? What should you do to end the cycle of fear? Can anyone help me? I don’t want to grow up living in fear. It’s not what I want at all. So will someone hide me away? So I don’t have to be scared anymore?

Answer 9

The thing is, if we cover our childrens ears they will still hear about it from another source. Do you want their peers telling their slants on things or do you just want to be honest with your kids?

Yes things are censored in a way. But then there is the internet....

Answer 10

i think its point less to censor... we make it so that you want to watch porn not only becous it makes you think about sex but also becous its what your not suposed to do...drugs are cool becous there illeagle and they make you into a rock... a lot less people would be into druges if it was normal to see in movies ect... it wouldent be as rare and cool...

but censoring art is another matter, its like "assasonalting an idea"
- bookmans t-shirt.