Censorship

Essay by Anonymous UserUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, January 1996

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'Censorship'

'The song [Cop Killer] is fiction, not fact. At no point did I go out and say

'Let's do it.' I am singing in the first person as a character who is fed up with police

brutality. I ain't never killed no cop. I felt like it a lot of times. But I never did'

-Rapper Ice-T, National Review, July 20, 1992.

Statements such as that has started an on going debate about censorship in the

television and music industry. What exactly is censorship? Some feel censorship is a

violation of the first amendment right. Others say censorship is a must in the violent,

abusive world we call 'society'. Who has the right to censor? Who doesn't? What needs

to be censored, and what doesn't? The fact of the matter is that their are the pro's and

con's in the music and entertainment industry about censorship.

Since its invention earlier this century, television has become the most popular

format for entertainment.

We can be entertained, informed, and inspired by programs on

TV. In fact, Americans love TV so much that we probably watch far too much of it. TV

stations are becoming less restrictive about content in their programs. More violence,

profanity, and nudity than ever before now graces our TV screens every night. Clearly,

there are things that children should not be seeing on TV. The new V-chip legislation

passed be Congress requires all TV manufactures to install an electronic device that allows

parents to set the tolerance levels for violence, profanity, and nudity. However, are

children's viewing habits the responsibility of the government or the parents?

There are several arguments that can be made on censorship on TV. One for

example, what the pro's for censorship? What are the con's? The are a lot of...