Censorship Essay - No Need to Censor Pornography

The wide availability of pornographic material can be argued to be the main attraction to employment within the industry; a notion anti-porn campaigners often utilise for their argument that pornography exploits women.

If pornography is censored because it offends certain people, then what about religion, or even sexual orientation? Sure, gay marriage has recently been legalized, but there are some people in this country who find it just as offensive and obscene as some people find pornography. Are we as a country supposed to satisfy the sensibilities of one group of people (i.e.: self-proclaimed feminists, in this case) simply because something bothers them or are we right to allow the freedom of expression that pornography claims to be to keep in ordinance with the First Amendment?

What is pornography? According to the dictionary pornography means “Obscene writings, drawings, photographs”. Yet, many people disagree with what is consider to be pornography in society today. Susan Brownmiller is a feminist activist who wrote an essay “ Lets Put Pornography Back in the Closet” argues that pornography should be not be protect by the 1st Amendment or be allowed into society. Meanwhile, Susan Jacoby a writer of “ A First Amendment Junkie” disagrees with Brownmiller because she believes that it’s everyone’s right and that society should not be able to censor pornography. Should society let the government censor pornography just because we may not approve this type of act. I agree with both of the writer’s that pornography should

Susan Jacoby's essay represents her unique image as a “First Amendment Junkie” and what it means for her in society of her times. Her belief that the First Amendment must be carried on at all costs without regarding the content, which in this case she expresses particularly in pornography. Jacoby states that allowing censorship of pornography could open up the possibilities of censoring other things if so, what could be those other things? Could we agree with her? Had we censored pornography back in the 70's would we as women be where we are now? After analyzing Jacoby's article, She does not excuse or deny that pornography can be or is vulgar,

In the censorship arena, there are variety of controversial, hateful and inappropriate topics debated for subjectivity. Yet, child pornography became the “leading rationale for censorship” and was outlawed in 1982 by New York vs. Ferber (Mintcheva, p.167; Adler, p.228). Children are one of the most exposed demographics in society because they don’t have autonomy and are reliant on adults. Thus, the child pornography law aimed to prevent sexual abuse and molestation. Amy Adler, contributor to Censoring Culture, argues that child pornography law is self-indulgent and further exacerbates the problem by bringing it into the public eye (Adler, p. 229). She also cites taking on the “gaze of the pedophile” as part of the problem. By stooping to the level of a sexual predator, courts and policy makers are making the problem worse. In an arena like the arts, where nudity and vulnerability are king, this controversy over what is pornography is especially delicate.

MacKinnon believes that the first amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech, should not protect pornography as it directly infringes on the freedom of speech of women. Censorship of pornography, an act that would limit freedom of speech, would actually lead to a greater net freedom of speech, as it would greatly boost women in society, helping to close the gap between men and women. MacKinnon’s claims are not without fault. Much of MacKinnon’s literature on the topic of equality in regards to pornography was written in 1980, a time before internet pornography.

Censorship is the removal of material from public viewing or the ability to withhold any material from being released. Using this definition, this issue of pornography seems to be in the grey area of the censorship debate. On the one side there are the people who want to protect their children from pornography and violence, and on the other people state that the Internet is the only medium which still openly accepts freedom of speech. Censorship is always wrong, no matter how unpleasant the material being considered.

Ethics Pornography is a social problem and is a commodity brought into existence by certain characteristics of a highly developed civilization. The problem with pornography is that any form of censorship or downplay cannot solve it. It is difficult to draw the line between ones right to express their ideas and or opinions or sexuality

known as the World Wide Web is today's largest portion of the Internet as well

3.) Whatever position you hold, what is your argument regarding censorship (i.e. the governmet's right to censor or ban pornography between or among consenting adults)?

The idea that pornography gives feminists of differing opinions this middle ground that they can meet on and see how to articulate the different desires of feminism and what they want to turn it into is one of the main reasons Catherine Lumby argues that feminists need pornography (par 60). As Lumby writes in “Why Feminists Need Porn,” chapter five of her book Bad Girls, “the notion that you can draw a cause and effect line between fantasy and social practice is disturbing and distasteful to some feminists,” (par 60).

With the need to censor pornography, there are many factors that need to be considered. In the past, the arguments involved have always been central focused upon immoral and religious views of pornography. In society today discussing the regulations of the sexually explicit material, would involve understanding the principles of legislating against such imagery. Ideas of rating pornography on

In recent years, pornography has established itself as perhaps the most controversial topic arising out of the use of the Internet. The easy availability of this type of sexually explicit material has caused a panic among government officials, family groups, religious groups and law enforcement bodies and this panic has been perpetuated in the media.

The parameters of the term censorship have been changed and manipulated very much over the years. Television and movie ratings have become more lenient against violence and indiscretion because these things are now seen as entertainment. Is this appropriate for our youth? Should children be exposed to these images so early on? How does censorship in the media affect adolescents? Children are the future of our society and need to have some understanding of real world occurrences. Ultimately, censorship can only be determined by the parents. The media cannot filter every bit of controversial images. What rights does the media have in this situation? How are their First Amendment rights applied here? As an aspiring political science

“Never before in history of telecommunications media in the United States has so much indecent (and obscene material been so easily accessible by so many minors in so many American homes with so few restrictions” (qtd in “Pornography and Child Sexual Abuse”). The problem addressed in the quote by the U.S. Department of Justice is pornography, a 10 billion dollar industry, has made its way from discreet taboo to something that is today considered acceptable and even common. With the internet being such a common tool, it is no surprise that there is easy access to sexually explicit material. The widespread accessibility and usage of pornography has changed people’s outlook on the normality of watching such sexually explicit material, and