Furthermore, many important American classics are being banned, often for minor reasons such as profanity. Why is it that we ban books that teach valuable lessons? Is it because censors are simply trying to protect children from inappropriate content? Or are governments trying to suppress unwanted ideas? Books should not be banned because book censorship is unnecessary, limits knowledge, and violates the fundamental principles of this country.
Art whether we know it or not is found all around us. In the music we hear, in the poetry and books we read, and even the revolutions we read from history books taught in school. All and more is art and by censoring art we would take away the public’s right to express themselves which is needed in a democratic world (Because Freedom Can’t). By definition censoring is suppressing any parts that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security (oxford dictionaries) but who is it to say what is acceptable? The National Art Education Association has made it clear that “the individual has the right to accept or reject any work of art for himself or herself personally but does not have the right to suppress those works of art…with whom he or she does not agree.” By censoring forms of art not only do we take basic civil rights away but reduce diversity among society.
Nazis, communist governments, and extremist governments in the Middle East ban books from their citizens. As Americans we see this as an attempt to violate our First Amendment rights by giving the people little option on what they can legally read, and administrators banning books from students is no different. According to administrators, their responsibility is to keep their students from reading or viewing unsuitable material. John A. Miller gives his opinion in his article “Banning Books Is an Affront to the First Amendment” stating “I doubt that any teenager much above the age of 13 is unaware of the words and situations most frequently cited as that the evils in banned books” (Miller). Students already hear this violence or inappropriate language at home and even at school from other students.
Banning the classics that make up American Literature takes away from the education that students access in the classroom, and less exposes students to the diamonds and the rough of the world today. The Scarlet Letter, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Odyssey are all classic stories that educate students about life and death, and everything in between. Therefore, school districts should not have the power or right to ban and/or alter ANY original texts.
This quote demonstrates the mentality of the firemen and the opinion of the government. Books are evil in t... ... middle of paper ... ...in restrictions are needed. Pornography should not be available to children. I do not have a problem with parental advisory labels on music. However, putting a ban on all books is a very scary proposition.
I don’t think so. I guess targeting religion gets a little too personal. Giuliani said, “You don’t have the right to government subsidy for desecrating somebody else’s religion. If you are a government-subsidized enterprise, then you can’t do things that desecrate the most personal and deeply held views of people in society.” You would think that the government paid these artists, right? It turns out that the show consisted of Charles Saatchi’s privately owned collection VIEWED in a public museum.
Our politicians are unable or unwilling to defend the rights embodied in the constitution…" Says H.G. Hovagimyan. Fear that new ideas will bring strong opinions that speak out opposing views and take away some control from the Church and government disgust and fury these two institutions. We as a society have the choice to see, hear, and read controversial books, music, movies, and art. Neither governmental tyranny nor the Church’s intimidation should abridge that choice.
What is the point of creating a masterpiece if it cannot be made available to the public eye? Many pieces of art are often hidden from the public eye because of art censorship. Some of these pieces could even potentially be “the work of the century,” but will unfortunately never see the light of day. Censorship is the act of suppressing any form of expression that is deemed “inappropriate” in any matter and has been a part of the art world for centuries. No matter what day and age, art will always be viewed in two ways–appreciatively and critically.
Also censorship has negative effects on art and human expression, as it creates boundaries on an artist's’ creativity, thus effecting the multimedia industry. On a societal scale, censorship prevents students from learning about the harsh realities that exist outside of a controlled school environment, leading to ignorant and naive adults. Censorship should not exist in America, as it is unconstitutional, takes away the true meaning of an artist's’ intentions, and works to make future generations ignorant. The Constitution is the highest form law in America. The laws within are rarely contested, however, censorship tends to impede on this pattern.
Still more that believe in civil rights think that it is an unnecessary violation of the right to freedom of speech for all humans. Censorship of the media for children is necessary, but should not be handled by government or other groups. Instead it should be directed and controlled by parents. Censorship for children is necessary because the average American view’s 100,000 acts of violence on TV before reaching t...