CENSORSHIP

Composition #7Draft 3
Cruz L Pozo Monar
November 29, 2009
Censorship
Each country, has constitution, it puts limits to different forms of expressions. It is called censorship. Every year several books, songs, movies, magazines, paints or exhibitions are been banned by the censor, Because of the content, presentation and massage that which carries. We must considerate that each person is one world, each one thinks in different form, and each person has right to be disagree with the expressions and actions from the others or vise versa, but we do not have to confound liberty with licentiousness. When we abuse our liberty, we are invading the privacy of the others, it genera inequality, disagreement, in consequence anarchy because we are broking the equilibrium of the society. Our liberty finish, where begin the others. In this country, and according the first amendment Censorship is the prohibition of speech or withdrawal of material, which are been considered “objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient to the government or media organizations as determined by a censor”. The majority of people are disagreeing with the censorship because they want to have freedom to express what is more convenient for them. In my personal opinion, the people should be free with their expressions forms always what it does not be harmful for the others. To illustrate that I support the First Amendment, I made resources a picture, song, and album.
In 1999, The Brooklyn Museum of Art had and exhibition with a controversial painting. Chris Ofili, a young English painter who had African roots, made a painting called the Holly Virgin Mary, using elephant excrement and obscene pictures cut from adult magazines. Mayor Giuliani and some Catholics were offended by the painting. They believed it was disrespectful for Catholics and the Virgin Mary. Giuliani threatened the BMA that he would take away public funding if they kept the picture in past the exhibition. The BMA wanted to challenge him by keeping the painting in the show. The censorship was not successful because it was against the first Amendment. Joan Bertin, the head of the National Coalition against Censorship, supported the BMA. Michelle Coffey, Program Director, of the National Campaign for Freedom of Expression, support the BMA also, she thought that the community had the right to make the decision about what they want to see or not. The government is not allowed to take away financial support just because the paint was offensive some of them. I disagree with the censorship because it was personal opinion and it not represent of majority opinion. The government had to put the limits and parameter of presentations, and it cannot decide or force how we think. I believe that people have the right to decide what is good or bad for them without offend to the rest of population.
In 1984, a song “Suicide Solution” caused commotion due to its lyrics. This theme was made by the heavy metal singer rock Ozzy Osbourne who wrote this song because another rock artist drunk alcohol and died. In the lyrics of the song Suicide Solution, Ozzy talked about of whiskey, liquor, and suicide solution for the message content of the song was misleading by people. In October 26, 1984, a teenager John McCollum, who had alcohol problems, shot his head and while he was listening to Ozzy’s music. John had been listening Osbourne’s albums many times before he killed himself. After his suicide, John’s parents sent an official report to the California civil court against Ozzy, demanding that his music lyrics advocated people’s destruction behavior. John’s father wanted to punish them. He said that CBS Records and Osbourne were making the young people attempt suicide against their lives. In addition, this music made John vulnerable, and provoked him to commit suicide. However, the court declined the McCollum’s petition, citing the First Amendment, “Freedom of Religion, Press, and Expression.” What was prohibited accusing, and said that the people are not forced to do what the lyric of the song says. This accusation was not successful, so their arguments were weak, and the complaint was only propaganda made by the McCollum’s. I agree with the decision made by the civil court because the behavior of teenagers is consequence of many factors like; who are their friends, which values they had since their formative years, and parents’ responsibility, and not of what kind of music they listen to.
In 1968, the album “Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins” was displayed generating an enormous controversy. The authors of this album were John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, who recorded the album together. The album “Unfinished Music” was released under the Apple Record Label. This album was also distributed through the US by different track records, but EMI record’s in the UK and Capitol Records in the US were reluctant to sell it. They refused to sell the CD because of the controversial picture on the cover. On the cover was attached the picture of John Lennon and his wife Yoko totality naked that evoke a scandal. Their behaviors were not ethical for the society and epoch. In addition, I read that who used their picture for to build a big statue of bronze. The censorship banned this album because of the picture of the naked Yoko and John. In 1997 the album was reprinted making the cover was covered by a plain brown paper, which could be removed if people wanted, with only their heads showing through a small hole. Many people did not want that album. Nevertheless, John Lennon said that the controversy was because of the picture was not made by professional models and the people found the picture unattractive. I disagree with the censorship because the people have the right to freedom of expression.
The society in the world are in continuing evolution, actions and expressions that were censorship many years ago, now are normal, the technology, and internet made revolution in develop countries. Some countries where the technology is in process, many expressions are ban yet, and the censorship take place. I agree with the First Amendment of the Constitution, about freedom of religion, expression. Everybody has the right to express whatever each one wants, but these expressions have limits. The expressions cannot transgress these limits, neither to distortion of the reality. We have to consider if our manifestations are going to be good or bad influence for the others, especially for children. After I made these resources about, an album, a song, and a picture, I have concluded that people around the world have the right to disagree. So our world has many countries with many cultures, and it is impossible to completely agree, besides in the diversity is the wealth, only I have to respect if I want to live in pace. I have the right to have my own opinions, and nobody has to manage it. We all have to respect each other.