Censorship in America: Protection Versus Social Growth

Different viewpoints within America help make it a culturally diverse and tolerant society. Although there are many different kinds of people that live in America, censorship is still frequently enforced to regulate what is appropriate content for Americans and what is not. Because Americans all think differently, they all have ideas on what should be censored and what should be allowed to be said. Often censorship falls under two ideologies, one of which heavy censorship is necessary to maintain conservative ideals, and another which censorship should be restricted to promote social growth. Some of the most censored and controversial topics today include the media, video games, the internet, schools, and the practice of religion.

A big issue today is what content is appropriate for children on television and the movies. Lots of controversial content are making its way into children's television as recently shown by PBS. In 2005 this issue received a lot of attention when PBS nearly aired an episode of "Postcards From Buster" which included lesbian mothers according to J. Salmon of The New York Times. Many Christian groups and parents protested against the release of this episode exclaiming that the episode is inappropriate and they did not want their children to be exposed to a lesbian lifestyle. Salmon explains that the series has received a large amount of controversy and has included episodes including a mormon family and a lower-class family living in a trailer park. "Postcards From Buster" is not the only show to come under fire. Other shows such as Sponge Bob have been attacked before because of seemingly homosexual or other controversial themes (Salamon).

Currently censorship of what is appropriate in Children's television is conservative and is very slow to change. According to Salmon, the grant which PBS receives from the government states that PBS's programs "should be designed to appeal to all of America's children by providing them with content and characters with which they can identify." In addition, "Diversity will be incorporated into the fabric of the series to help children understand and respect differences and learn to live in a multicultural society" (Salamon). Brigid Sullivan, vice president for children's programming at WGBH, voiced her opinion stating that she wants the show to reflect all the children of America and that this is not about the parents of the majority. Kenneth L. Donelson, author of The English Journal's "Changing the Censor: Some Responsibilities of the English Department" would likely agree with this as he stated that people should not be sheltered from the real world in an attempt to "protect" students and that values should be determined after having a knowledge of everything that is out there. While the context is different between these authors it is clear that they are both arguing for the same principles, being that children should develop their own values and principles themselves after having the opportunity to be exposed to all kinds of views.

Many people, however, including Deborah Taylor Tate of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stats that "[w]e must take a stand against programming that robs our children of their innocence and constitutes an unwarranted intrusion into our homes. By working together, we should promote the creation of programming that is not just entertaining, but also positive, educational, healthful and, perhaps, even inspiring." Like Deborah Taylor Tate, Robert H. Bork, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute believes that restraints are necessary for America's direction of culture and morality. Both authors express that guides and restrictions for people are necessary to restrain the media to help guide American culture and morality. Bork goes even further and cells the First Amendment "dogmatic" and that "radical individualism or liberationist philosophy [...] infects all aspects of our culture [.]" Bork's point to view is that freedom of speech is not only superficial and inappropriate but rather that it is destroying the fundamental aspects of our society. People such as Sullivan and Donelson in his view would be promoting a philosophy that will ultimately destroy our society in the end.

Censorship in the media is by no means limited to Children's programming. Television often censors content such as swear words and nudity. According to David Ho, censorship in its current state is not challenged until a controversial act is committed such as Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" in 2004 (Ho). As David Ho pointed out in his article "For TV and radio, FCC must decide how far is too far" the FCC has to continually balance what is acceptable and what is not. In the 1930s the FCC had to enforce the banning of obscene words over the radio while at the same time had to forbade agency censorship. Later the FCC regulated "offensive" content in ways such as moving it to a later time in the day (prime time). Political opinions and expression is something that is highly valued in America, but even today censorship of opposing political can occur. According to Tarradell, in 2003 radio stations across America stopped playing songs by the Dixie Chicks after one of the members of the band made a negative comment about George Bush. Organizations such as the Red Cross also stopped supporting them and would not accept a one million dollar donation due to the Dixie Chick's position. While censorship of the Dixie Chicks is evident, this was mostly done by the individual stations rather then the FCC.

Similar to television, another industry under fire to censor is video games. Games through out history such as Doom, Grand Theft Auto, and Counter Strike have all been used as the reason why violent crimes occur and therefore have been threatened to be censored by activists many times. One video game's greatest opponents is attorney and activist Jack Thompson, according to B. Crecente of Kotaku.com. Jack Thompson on many occasions has spoken out after violent incidents such as the Virgina Tech and North Illinois shootings on video games. According to toledoblade.com news when IGN asked Thompson about video games' role with the Ohio shootings Thompson responded "If some wacked-out adult wants to spend his time playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, one has to wonder why he doesn't get a life, but when it comes to kids, it has a demonstrable impact on their behavior and the development of the frontal lobes of their brain (Drew J)." Thompson asserts that video games provide people with effective killing skills and desires to commit murder. Thompson and Eugene F. Provenzo in their own article " A Political Odd Couple's Advice on Finding Common Ground" both explain in their article that video games are the cause of these violent outbreaks on campuses.

While there are those who believe that video game censorship is essential such as Jack Thompson, there are those who think otherwise. Kotaku.com's Brian Crecete has made the point that many of the ties made by Jack Thompson and other opponents of violent video games have been mis-leading or lies. It was said that Jeffrey Weise had "basically rehearsed for the massacre" by preparing in the game Grand Theft Auto Vice City to lower his heart rate for killing. Crecete pointed out that this could not be proved or supported in either way. Another example that Crecete uses is that a lawyer tried going to court to show that games such as Doom were played to prepare for Columbine. It was also stated that Eric Harris created a level for Doom that resembled their school which was proven to be false. The judge of the case stated that "[if games were the reason then] no video game or movie makers could have reasonably foreseen their products would cause Columbine or any other violent acts" (Crecente). Thompson, however, would most likely not agree and instead present all the different instances in which a killer had played video games and show that there is a correlation. Jack would assert that this correlation is too high to be ignored despite an other facts or intents.

One place where censorship starts and where children and adults are exposed to for much of their life is the classroom. Unlike in the United States, countries such as China are strictly enforced. Until very recently many English classrooms only taught only only classic and "safe" literature in which Kenneth L. Donelson of Arizona State University's English Department believes is an attempt by many English teachers to protect "innocent students" from the ugly world. Donelson believes that more contemporary literature including The Catcher and the Rye and Anything for a Friend should be included in more classrooms despite if teachers and students like the books. (p. 869 - 970) Donelson also points out that all literature, particularly contemporary literature, is censorable to someone and there will always be someone who criticizes a book. Furthermore, Donelson and others in education opposed to censorship believe that there is not a clear line of good and evil literature and for a student to grasp the nature of good and evil then teachers must realize that the distinction is often difficult and unclear (p.870).

Those who believe censorship is important to have in schools are often parents and facility who believe that schools should have a more conservative role and that controversial subjects such as homosexuality should be up to the parents to expose (or not expose) to their children. A controversial book being found in many elementary schools such as Shiloh Elementary School is And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson is a children's book about a true story of two male penguins in New York City's Central Park Zoo who adopted a fertilized egg according to journalist Angie Leventis. This book has rose a large amount of controversy among parents who believe that this book is inappropriate and introduces concepts that children are not able to handle yet. Leventis explains that parents demanded that the book be moved to a separate shelf which requires parental permission to check out, but opponents of this idea believe that this is just another form of censorship. Donelson as well as Brigid Sullivan would likely agree with allowing homosexual books in schools as they are today's contemporary subjects, and because of it the general ideology shared between the three of them is that children should be able to be exposed to everything and come to their own conclusions. There are also those such as Clint Bolick who feel that Public Education has become too bloated and instead of dealing with these issues that a better system of school choice should be implemented (National Review). This would create a completely different environment in which children are only exposed to what the parents and school want, such is the case of Christian Schools. Private schools which would completely censor all controversial literature would promote an environment that Tate, Bork, and Thompson would likely encourage because it only promotes the best and appropriate material to keep from risking Children's ideologies from changing to dangerous and detrimental to society. Donelson and Sullivan however would likely view these sorts of private schools as dangerous because they do not expose children to real-world and contemporary issues which will hurt them in the future.

Many followers of other religions and those who follow no religion often have been targeted by the mainstream Christian community and are frequently threatened to be censored. The United States Army is one place where alternative religions, in this case Wicca, has been threatened to the point where the practice of Witchcraft (Wiccan ceremonies) would be banned on army bases according to Mark Silk in his article Something Wiccan This Way Comes. This movement failed, according to Journalist Alan Cooperman of Washingtonpost.com, and while Wiccans are now currently accepted in the Army, Wiccan organizations have been unable to obtain a military chaplain.

Likewise in schools, many students have been censored because of their religious beliefs. In 1999 high school student Brandi Blackbear was suspended for fifteen days for casting spells and writing symbols relating to the Wiccan religion according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU, 2000). Along with the ACLU Blackbear sued the school district and was eventually settled out of court. This case is not isolated however. The ACLU alone as fought many cases defending a student's right for freedom of religion (ACLU, 2000).

Proponents of censorship of religion often do so out of protection, their own religious views, or beliefs that the other religion should not get equal representation. Many conservative Christians view alternative religions, such as Wicca, satanic and a threat to Christianity and America. According to Mr. Weyrich, a president of a group named the Free Congress Foundation "An Army that sponsors satanic rituals is unworthy of representing the United States of America." After the military allowed Wiccans to practice meetings and ceremonies then-Governor George W. Bush responded on ABC's Good Morning America "I don't think witchcraft is a religion, and I wish the military would take another look at this and decide against it." Members of the ACLU, and persecuted students such as Brandi Blackbear would likely find Mr. Weyrich and George W. Bush's offensive and ignorant because they judge their positions based on the context of their own beliefs. Weyrich and Bush however would likely find their use of using Christianity as a basis appropriate because it is what they and the majority of America follow. Blackbear and the ACLU would argue that this basis is not only inappropriate but unacceptable because after Blackbear was suspended she has explained that she "suffered continuous ridicule and humiliation," and "become an outcast among her fellow students."

When the need for censorship arrises there are often two different, and often constant, viewpoints. One viewpoint is that the government and other institutions should have the right to censor and protect conservative beliefs and values. People such as Jack Thompson, Mr. Weyrich, organizations such as the Free Congress Foundation, as well as some other social conservatives see censorship as a valuable tool accomplish just that. Opponents of censorship including Brigid Sullivan, Kenneth L. Donelson, and organizations such as the ACLU believe that needless censorship inhibits the necessary tolerance and protection of minority and controversial views. Due to these different viewpoints Americans are continually debating about what is acceptable to allow to be said and what should be censored.

Sources:

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Ho D. (2006). That's Indecent! (or Is It?) For TV and radio, FCC must decide how far is too far. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. Retrieved on 02/12/2008 from SIRS Researcher via SIRS Knowledge Source.

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Crecente B. (2007) Feature: Dissecting Jack's Lies. Retrieved on 02/16/2008 from http://kotaku.com/gaming/feature/feature-dissecting-jacks-lies-252914.php

Drew J. (2004) Ohio sniper case may put video games on trial. toledoblade.com. Retrieved on 02/16/2008 from http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041121/NEWS08/411210370/0/NEWS

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Silk M. (1999) Something Wiccan This Way Comes. Trinity College. Retrieved on 02/16/2008 from http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol2No2/wicca.htm

Cooperman A. (2007) For Gods and Country. Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved on 02/17/2008 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/18/AR2007021801396.html

Donelson K. (1969) Challenging the Censor: Some Responsibilities of the English Department. The English Journal (Vol. 58, No.6, pp. 869-876). Retrieved on 02/12/2008 from JSTOR

ACLU of Oklahoma Files Federal Lawsuit on Behalf of Student Accused of "Hexing" a Teacher. American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved on 01/30/08 from http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/16295prs20001026.html

Tarradell, M. (2006) Dixie Chicks: CD's success still no salve for Marines. PE.com. Retrieved on 02/16/2008 from http://www.pe.com/sharedcontent/features/country2/052806ccdrMUSICnatalie.3a3fb996.html