Arguments Against Censorship Research

It is probably no accident that freedom of speech is the first freedom mentioned in the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The Constitution's framers believed that freedom of inquiry and liberty of expression were the hallmarks of a democratic society.

Censorship is defined by Caso as the suppression of speech or any other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive politically incorrect as determined by the government or any other control body (3). Censorship may be justified from the conservative view whereby the free speech can be maltreated where it undermines the customary principles and communal solidity as withheld by a particular community.

The history of the world has undoubtedly been dominated by an endless struggle for power. However, after a brief glimpse into the pages of history it should not take long to realize that the trick to maintaining power lies in the control of information. Even the most fearsome military generals of the past acknowledge the power of the mind and ideas over lethal force. Former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin once said “… [Ideas] are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, then why should we let them have ideas.” Stalin’s quote personifies the main concept of this literature review which will be discussing the history of government censorship and its effects that are

Welcome to the United States of America. This is the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. A place where our forefathers once gathered and drew up the foundation for which we live our lives. The Constitution of the United States grants us a certain amount of freedoms for which we cannot be punished for. The first amendment to this constitution of the Constitution allows us the freedom of speech, religion, the right to assemble, and to express ourselves in a way in which we feel fit. Under this amendment, people such as musicians and newsmen and able to write and speak what they feel without being told that it is wrong. They cannot be manipulated to change their thoughts or views on a topic, or

Dick Cavett, a famous American talk show host, once said, “Censorship feeds the dirty mind more than the four-letter word itself.” Censorship limits free speech, and it is used constantly today. In South Park’s situation, the writers use logic and evidence to express their opinions on controversial issues, and people think that it should be censored. Just because the show uses morally questionable techniques, does not mean that it is useless. In fact, South Park has taught people a lot; it changes our point of view and encourages us to think deeply about the issues at hand while simultaneously making us laugh. For people unfamiliar with South Park, it is an animated comedy television which airs on Comedy Central. The show revolves

Imagine a scenario where Kanye West is in his Los Angeles home with his wife and daughter and the police knock on his door. They arrest him based on exposing the American population to vulgarity, indecency, racist and sexist comments that offend many people. The government does not want America to be subjected to this type of music and turn the American culture into something more bigoted than it already is. However, a situation like this would never occur in the present day American society. That does not mean it could not happen in the future. Many American citizens are promoting censorship to an extreme that it could possibly become a reality. The American citizens claim that censorship is needed to shelter America’s citizens, but

Censorship is definitely a thing in a lot of parts of America; however, it’s not all bad censorship. For example, anti-abortion groups protest at public and private colleges using large, noticeable, graphic signs which most either ignore or attempt to take them down by force, which, although it sounds like illegal censorship, is legal because the 1st amendment does not protect provocative speech. In the video, a private college was shown which limited certain groups’ flyers and posters to one corner of the whole campus; they are completely within their rights to do that because they do not receive state funding so the first amendment does not apply to them. Finally, when Charlie Hebdo was attacked, a writer held a “Draw Muhammed” contest in Dallas which led to a shooting and her disappearance. Many people believe the things they do can not be censored because they are protected by the first amendment, but they are not because they are either provoking, the place they are at is not state funded, and people they are intentionally offending are not going to leave them alone.

In her essay, “Censorship: A Personal View” Judy Blume gives readers insight on the impact of censorship based on her personal experiences as a young reader and then later in life as a censored writer. She provides numerous examples of educators who were affected by censorship and chose to take a stand against it (345). Although the piece lacks evidentiary support for these accounts, and draws on sarcasm for emphasis, the original objective remains clear and strong. Blume succeeds in exposing what censorship is capable of, what this means for readers and writers, and how activist groups like the National Coalition Against Censorship [NCAC] can

What would life be like without censorship? Though there might be upsides to it, such as more freedom of speech, it could also cause some problems. Not only would we be exposing children to many horrors of the world, we also would be doing nothing to prevent offensive and oppressive content in the media. Therefore, some censorship is necessary for all people; however, in most cases, we should be allowed access to most information in society.

South park censorship controversy

South Park have always received mixed response from it’s audiences. Famous for the use of foul language, dark humour which satirizes a wide range of topics (such as politics, racism, gender equality e.t.c.) and portrayal of religion for comic effect, the show generated countless debates and controversy over the course of it’s run. The debate over censorship of some episodes, and the show as a whole continues nowadays, and both sides seem to have truth behind their words. Pro-censorship group states that South Park is harmful for young minds, that religion is not the right thing to joke about and that show has to know it’s limits.

Scholarly work is pivotal for a professor’s advancement and tenure. It is a crucial source of stimulus for the professor to not fall into a trough which they can become futile and monotonous. If a professor should experience deportment, this will be quite difficult to reverse. Notwithstanding the fact that scholarship is focal and essential for the amelioration of a professor it is to say for more the least that appeals to me. This final layer takes time from the various parts of the fabric that develops the professorship. The layers that change lives, by teaching, serving, researching, inspiring and mentoring. Allowing others dear to dream and aspire to change the world and to make a difference for all. It would also being intimidating to

In our modern society, countless people craving attention feel the need to eliminate what information they deem as offensive. Despite this recurring trend, it is the right of all people to pursue the knowledge and literature they wish. It is a basic human right that should not be taken away. Never in human history has the world ever catered to the individual opinions of every human on earth, and protected people from what they found offensive. As we all have the basic right to acquire knowledge, I firmly believe that the censorship libraries should be stopped.

According to the ACLU, this applies not only to pure speech (books, newspapers, leaflets, and rallies), but also "nonverbal expressions that communicate ideas" ("ACLU . . ."). To take the good with the bad, not only does it protect popular ideas, but also ideas expressed by hate groups and those against the government. The only exceptions that have ever been made to the first amendment are the two Supreme Court cases Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire (1942) and New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) ("ACLU . . ."). In the Chaplinsky case, the court ruled that free speech was not protected if the speech was "fighting words" or words meant to provoke the person to whom they are addressed ("ACLU . . ."). In the case of New York Times v. Sullivan, the Supreme Court ruled that free speech is also not protected when it is slander against public officials ("ACLU . . ."). Mostly however, these two Supreme Court cases apply only to journalism, as most classic and contemporary literature is not directed simply at one person. Despite all this protection, the decision to ban books from libraries is largely left up to the schools and institutions themselves ("Banned Books Online"), and a federal ban is very rare, practically nonexistent today.

There are countless people that feel that since we all have the inalienable right of freedom of speech, we therefore have the right to say anything no matter the hurt it might bring to others. Even though our right to freedom of speech is one of our most paramount rights, we still have the obligation as humans to treat each other with dignity and respect. Although extreme political correctness is something that restricts not only our freedom of speech but also our freedom of expression, it’s important that as fight against it, we still have a sense of restraint when using our words. We shouldn’t feel forced not to say something because of the limitations that PC has put on us. But we should think before we speak and remember the power of our words. Words have the ability to create a world of dreams for someone, they can spark happiness and joy within a person. Yet, words also have the ability to tear a person down, to destroy them, leave them feeling hollow like they are nothing. Words can spark the fire that can start a war between people in society. It’s important that we remember the true power of our words, and although they shouldn’t be restricted, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to use say things that we know will hurt other people. We shouldn’t wield our words like weapons, we should instead use them for the betterment of the

Remember the day when you could say anything you wanted without worrying about someone telling you, “That’s not correct”or “don’t say that.” Yes? Everybody does. Many long to live in that era once more; they long to be able to speak their mind in public without anyone thinking they are weird or crazy. Lately it seems as though you have to retain your thoughts inside your mind and not say anything. Many college campuses and websites have started to establish rules which prevent people from saying what’s on their mind and writing or saying something which may harm others.