Censorship Essay NCC 12/11/11

America *Uncensored*

Censorship is when the government limits what is heard in music and television. Censorship happens when there is inappropriate content in music so it is taken out or substituted with something “cleaner”. Some examples of censorship are “bleeps” or clean versions of songs. The purpose of censorship is to protect impressionable children from hearing about unsavory things and possibly emulating them.

Music is censored by taking out curse words or offensive content. Music is censored for radio broadcasting all the time. Another way that music is censored is by changing the lyrics. The censoring of music can also take other forms that warn about explicit lyrics such as parental advisory stickers and banning the sale of certain music to a certain age group.

The government wants music censored, and so do parents and other adults. They want music censored because they do not want small children to imitate some of the things they hear in music. The government also wants things censored because they do not want bad things to be heard, but they only hear the music instead of really listening and comprehending the meaning of the lyrics. Parents and other adults might not like the artist, but it is up to them to keep children from listening to it not the artist. When songs are put out into the world then it is up to children’s parents or guardians to keep them from hearing it if they do not want them to.

I believe that music should be uncensored because it takes away our constitutional right to freedom of expression. The government legally has no right to censor us, and that is clearly stated in the Constitution. They say that they do it anyway because they do not want to hear bad things, and they do not want people to be offended. I think they censor us because they do not like us practicing our constitutional rights and freedoms. The government knows that they cannot censor us, but they withhold that we are allowed to fight back.

I feel this way because of the facts, if we protest then the police make us clear the area, if we write letters or e-mail then they send back a cheesy fake letter saying that someone will work to change it. The government disregards the Constitution by censoring us. I think we would enjoy uncensored music if they would only give it to us. Anything that we do the government is a part of in some way, shape, or form. Why cannot music be one thing that is free from interference? After all it is in human nature to express ourselves in different ways.

`     So get your music uncensored. Protest it, forget about clean versions, do not buy into the system’s lies. Express yourselves, demand what you want, you have that right so use it. Censorship has its hooks deep in America, it has good qualities, but it also strips us of some rights. Decide what you want and do something about it.