We're Not Stupid

This is an essay I wrote for my History final. Keep in mind that I took the English AP so I wrote a total of four essays today. This is only a rough draft so be nice :D I just wanted to share my ideas.

          Censorship is defined by Merriam-Websters Dictionary as the ‘suppression or deletion of anything considered objectionable’. Many societies find certain books, movies, magazines, websites, music, television shows, video games, and other media inappropriate and attempt, some with success, to ban them. However, the controversy is over whether censorship is constitutional or not. According to the first amendment, the government may not intervene with establishment or practice of religion, the freedom of speech, press, assembly, or petition. In an essence, the attempt to ban anything from being read, watched, listened to, or played is a violation of the Constitution. However, it is impossible to live in a peaceful world without some type of regulation. Although censorship is essential to American society, it cannot be taken out of proportion and there must be a limit.

          In a typical classroom, a teacher can be seen using novels as an instruction tool. Many of these books have been banned in the past, but reinstated, or are in question. Some of the most banned books are notable classics with hidden meanings. For example, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was banned for its use of the derogatory word ‘nigger’, although the setting is in the rural south after the civil war and the style which Twain wrote, contained common dialect. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger was challenged for “profanity, promotion of premarital sex, homosexuality, and perversion.”

          Media is most frequently challenged because it contains curse words, violence, sex, homosexuality, the occult, or rebellious children and authorities are worried that the behavior will be duplicated by American youth. Many organizations have been established to prevent the corruption of American minds through media. These organizations have good intentions. The protection of American youth from material that may not be appropriate for their age group is essential to preserving the future of the country, but banning anything solely because of taboo content – especially if there’s a beneficial message behind it – is ridiculous.

Much of what is said on television or the radio must be monitored closely or a station can be shut down. Radios and televisions are common in an American household and can be accessed almost anywhere outside the home. Parents cannot watch their children all of the time and rely on the Federal Communications Committee’s Closed Captioning Program, to assist in monitoring what can be shown or said.

Music is arguably a form of art and several musicians have been publicly criticized for their content, which poses a problem for the F.C.C. As a government organization, it is obligated (more so than a private organization) to follow the Constitution thoroughly. Music is a freedom of speech and - as the First Amendment states - the government cannot disrupt that right. When the American youth is no longer innocent, ostracized musicians such as Eminem and Marilyn Manson are targeted for the reason behind the corruption. This simply isn’t true. Music is a form of entertainment and, in some cases, an outlet for a person. The Centre for Suicide Prevention recognizes that music is usually not the motive for suicides, but suicidal adolescents generally have underlying issues not related to music and listen to the music as an emotional outlet. An increase in suicides would be the result of completely censoring music and preventing musicians from releasing songs considered inappropriate.

          Movies generally serve a purely entertaining purpose, unlike – for instance – newspapers, which mostly serve the purpose of distributing information. The Motion Picture Association of America established a film rating system to categorize movies so families know when to take their children, and when to hire a babysitter. Their intent is to provide movies without complete censorship. A child under the age of thirteen may not gain access to a PG-13 movie without supervision, which is easier to enforce than books or television, since movies are released in theaters and require tickets to view.

Regulating family friendly media in public places – such as the internet or libraries – is virtually impossible. The public has a right to say, read, hear, and watch what it wants and complete ban attempts for ludicrous reasons such as mild profanity is ridiculous in itself. Regulation is needed, not complete suppression. Hitler banned media to ensure that Germans were naïve to what was actually going on. Frightened and protective adults are doing the same to their youth. The American populous needs to take faith in itself and recognize that the American youth isn’t as naïve as adults think. Not every child is going to blow up a school because it was heard about on the radio.