Censorship in mass media
Censorship in mass media1 Censorship in the media is not only an immoral and unjust practice, but
also an insult to all people who consider them selves able to think and act intelligently on
their own. Every day censors everywhere try to bowlderize radio, print, the Internet and all
other forms of media, especially televisiomn. People who stand for this are allowing their
rights to be denied, laying supine, letting governments control them and limit their thoughts.
2The denotative meaning of censorship is the examination of books, letters, movies, etc. and
the removal of anything thought not right for the people to observe. In other words,
censorship takes away the right of the individual to decide what is appropriate for them to see
or hear. What might offend one person may not offend another person, and it is unjust to
prohibit someone from reading or seeing "inappropriate" material based on the opinion of
someone else. Governments are developing a big brotherly attitude towards people, and it
is becoming more prominent all around the world. In a world where most countries are free
to do as they please, conesorship in the media is like the modern day "double speak" of the
book 1984, limiting the thoughts of the people who are forced to conform with their society.
4Who is to deem what should and should not be viewed by the "free" citizens of the united
states? Each day in every aspect of life, censors suppress and restrain the thoughts of the
people. All people born in the united states have the "natural right" to speak as they choose
as well as to watch whatever they want. The forefathers of this country granted us many rights
that are documented within the US Constitution. Freedom of speech and freedom of the
press are both guaranteed to all citizens in the first ten amendments to the Constitution-the
Bill of Rights. Censorship is a direct violation of these amendments, which includes the
natural rights of free thought and expression. After all, that is why the united states was
created, to escape the persecution by the government against the rights that the forefathers
knew they had.
3Censorship is based on the concept of minority rule. If violence, language, or sex , which is
enjoyed around the world, is unappropriate for even a miniscule percentage of people
viewing it, then it is deemed inappropriate for every one. What kind of government is
holding the reins to what people can and cannot see? Is this not a direct violation of any
persons natural rights? Peopole should be able to choose for them selves what they can or
cannot observe, not the governmet. Although the jurisdiction of many governments vary,
censorship is a world wide issue. There are many reasons to censor media, but not a one
of them stands up to a persons freedom to do as they please. Thus making censorship
unethical. If a person does not want to view somthine then they simply don't have to.
No one forces a person to watch tv if they don't like what is on then they can change it.
People who don't approve of the content of television are fine. It is just when these peoplee
ristrict the rights of others, by censoring books or television or event the internet, that
disagreeable to many.
The internet for excample is the information super highway of the world. It is the fastest
growing form of mainstream media today. It is literally littered with pomrnography and
illegal software along with instructions on varios other things like bomb making and wire
tapping. But why is all this content there? It is bcause that is what people want. That is
the voice of the people, if no one wanted those things then the sites would not exist. And
therefore if that's what the people want and that is their opinion, the government has no
right to limit what can and cannot be seen. This is the form of media that the government
has the least control over. Almost anything can be bought, sold, learned or taught through
the internet and that is how free th rest of the world should be. The internet is a catalyst of
human nature, because when people are told they cannot do something they are more
likely to go and try to do it a la the internet.
Mainstream media throughout the world comes in many forms. What is acceptable in one
country may be taboo in the next. In general there is no world wide accepted main stream
media. Every country has a different perspective while some are more liberal than others,
all have a form of censorship along the line. The word mainstream cannot really be
generalized to accomidate the world. Mainstream will have a different meaning wherever
you look but mainly it is what most of the people in that area are doing. Outside of the
United States, censorship is usally less, except for in communist countries. But most other
countries can broadcast and distubute almost anything. So why does the united states
government have to censor every thing, and what are they trying to prove? It is senseless for
them to try to stop the people from getting what they want, because one way or another,
they will.
An alternative to censorship would be for parents to actually take responsibility for their
children. It is inevitable that young children will learn the truth about sex or about profanity
and violence through tv or not. It is the responsibility of the addulst to guide their own
children in the process of learning. The role of the governmet is to protect the people not to
tell them what is wrong and right, that Is the duty of the parents. Perants must take an active
role in their childrens lives and not let television raise their children for them. Parents have
the responsibility for themselves and their children they can raised them however they want
but it is not their responsibility to raise other peoples children so there fore they should have
no effect onwhat other peoples children can watch.