Where do we define our moral lines?
Typically, the power group in control helps define what they believe to be obscene or not obscene. However, when everyone comes from different historical backgrounds, their view of scene most likely differs from another person's view.
Yet, somehow large lines have been drawn in the past and still are drawn for small communities today.
In the early nineties there was the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) controversy which was spawned by Robert Mapplethorpe, Andres Serrano (more on him in a later blog), and other controversial artisits. During this controversy, Congress did pass a bill that was later retracted that clearly stated what was art and what was obscene.
Now, I am no big fan of obscenity, but I am definitely less of a fan for censorship. I take more of a Libertarian stance over censorship which consists of absolutely no censorship. Yes, I understand that topics such as child pornography would become legal, and I am not really happy about that because I believe child pornography is obscene. However, I recognize it is obscene for me and is not an absolute. I do believe that measures blocking children into forceful sexual acts should definitely be enforced. But, if someone has an exhibit in which there are a bunch of penises surrounding one picture of a child, then that should be legal. I may not consider it art, but someone else may.
Naturally, human beings are sexual by birth and it is wrong for American society to impose rules or regulations on sexual acts unless they are violent or similar to rape.
Mapplethorpe did not dabble as much with nude children and actually photographed a lot of flowers, but did have a portfolio that included many photographs that later became controversial. Of these photographs, I'm not that interested in, but I do recognize the brilliance in his simple designs and angles... The reason I don't enjoy his photos that much is more due to his lighting and other photographic techniques, but not because of the content.
Ultimately, I reach no conclusion other than there should be no censorship, even though there is based upon the opinions of whomever is control.
I'll cover more later on the genius of Andres Serrano and his censorship issues.
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