We don't need it WE THE PEOPLE ARE JUST FINE FOR THE NEXT 27 YEARS.

F**kin' censorship! It's a f**kin' load of s**t!

people wine and complain, until its something said that happens to offend them. in college, everyone blabbed on about freedom of speech, until an artist had a gallery exhibit making fun of people with AIDS. that picture came down fairly fast, and the freedom of speech hypocrisy was made clear to all.

With PC goons on the "left" and religious wackos on the right, America and the world must execrise constant vigilance against censorship. I would like to see everybody who supports banning ADULT "obscenity" from American Internet servers to rot in Hell with their fascist buddies in Al Qaeda and the C"C"P.

There's unconstitutional censorship (like the FCC) and constitutional censorship (like PC). I don't like either.

Many are confused over what is and is not censorship. Basically, censorship occurs when the government or its agents restrict what can be said or who can speak on specific matters. The only exception to this is for some compelling interest (eg shouting fire in a crowded theater). Sometimes the government passes laws and regulations that limit speech rights in time, place and manner, but these laws cannot typically be content based. This is how the state can keep loudspeakers out of residential neighborhoods at 2:00 A.M. What is not censorship is when the public reacts negatively to someone's message (eg the Dixie Chicks). There is a reason why people who speak out are called principled and brave, namely because there are costs to speaking against popular issues (eg lower sales, even losing one's job). These costs are not censorship. Moreover, your First Amendment right does not include the right to a forum or a right to be heard. Ratings on movies and music are merely a way to inform the consumer what type of message in contained in the speech. This type of disclosure is not censorship as the message is not altered. Finally, examples of actual censorship are hate speech laws and the recent campaign finance bill. Hate speech laws because they target specific messages (ie content based), and campaign finance as I explained under that dedicated topic. The bottom line is that there is little censorship today, notwithstanding the aforementioned hate speech laws et al and the public reactions against some who have spoken out against or for the current conflict in Iraq.

Censorship is unconstitutional. I like to look at art. I like to watch R rated comedies and cheesy horror films. I like to have those freedoms to do those. I'm 18. I'm an adult now. I'm 18. I can look at Playgirl, Maxim, or even Hustler and I can still be a productive citizen. I'm comfortable with my bisexuality. I don't mind admitting what I find attractive. I am also a citizen of the US. I can play Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Clock Tower 3, and I can watch Bowling For Columbine. I can make up my own mind whether to listen to Blabbing Ann Coulter or sniveling Al Sharpton. I live in America. I live in this world. But here's the thing about censorship. It makes people into brain dead morons. I'm not kidding. In my town community, There is a extremely strict religious Irish couple that has censored their oldest son from everything. He is almost twenty and doesn't know what sex is. He's never seen an R rated movie. He does not know about evolution or cloning. He's never seen any other movies except for Nickolodeon and Disney. He's been so sheltered his whole life he has not had a date ever or even a little kiss from a girl. He is wholed up in his room watching Spongebob all day and wondering why everyone his age thinks that he is mentally retarded when he is not. He feels secluded and he knows he is ignorant about society. This man has shown me the evils of censorship. He has shown me how censorship kills growth of the mind and intelligence.

America has to stay clear of censorship, as the government is already aiming to reduce the importance of the Bill of Rights. One of the greatest things of the United States is the right to free speech. Nobody (well, almost nobody) wants to lose this right.

There is no censorship in America. People not wanting the government to pay for filth is not censorship...it's choice. If you want smut and proganda for stupid causes (animal rights, the environment, etc.), do it like everyone else does - with private funds. Hey, that so few people willingly give their money to your Quixotic causes should tell you something. Wake up and smell the coffee, sandal-wearers. Quit crying, skip a day from your Starbucks and Border's routine, and take a shower every now and again. Soap - it does a body good!

I gave censorship 5 stars because I think that it is an important issue. Today everybody tries to limit what everybody else can say, or how they can express themselves. Christianity tries to limit what is allowed in the media in the way of sex and violence. The media sides with liberals who try to limit religion's ability to express itself in public and more conservative attitudes. Conservatives back Christianity's attack on the media, and also allong with Christians try and hush up liberal movements such as gay rights and pro-choice advocates, who in turn try and shut up Christians, conservatives, anti gays, and pro-lifers. The whole group of them try to stop the existence of child porn, but the pedophiles are too busy playing with themselves to worry about censoring anyone else. While I may agree with some of the aforementioned groups more than others, I do not think that censorship of any form, from either side should occur, except maybe the kiddie porn, just cuz it can cause mental trauma for the children in the pictures.

Im all for free speech, but that right doesn't include selling porn to 12 year olds, and making movies that encourage girls to dress like sluts.

HEY HO! CENSORSHIP MUST GO!

I dont believe in censorship. Im 15, and I've gotten into every rated R movie that I've bought a ticket too see. Why should the government say what we can and can't see? We will see it anyway, so it dosen't really matter.

This is indeed a major political issue, with Sen. Joseph Lieberman at the head of the censorship marching band. When you speak of censorship I generally asusme that you mean either (A) Censoring the thoughts and opinions of the people and violating their rights to free speech, or (B) Censoring television. The first case is totally undemocratic, and any law which sought to censor the voice of the American people should be thrown out the door. The second case is much more controversial. The primary argument from television censorship leaders is that the explicit and violent behavior portrayed on television shows and in movies fuels the minds of our children and in some cases causes them to commit violent acts. Yes, Yes, blame the problems of today's society on the Lethal Weapon movies! That's the problem! In actuality, I'm still searching in vain to discover the violent movies that Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin watched on a regular basis. Boy some horrible movie really must've sent Hitler into a rage and he jut felt like killing a few million people. The idea that censorship in television will reduce crime is exactly like the philosophy that less guns equals less crime. Besides, let's get shows like Sex in the City and WWE SmackDown! off air, but yet the newstories about Bill Clinton's sexcapades ran all day long on CNN. [Update: 4/20/03] OK, its been about two and a half months since I made the post above, and I was mostly referring to the issue of television censorship. However, right now, the political atmosphere in the world has changed so drastically. We are at war. And the Bush Administration and the media itself as adopted the "you're either with us or against us" mentality. As Americans, we think that putting a flag in your front yard and saying the pledge means that you are a patriot. It does not. A patriot does not merely believe in his country- he must reaffirm that belief. He must respect the right of all men to speak what he wants, when he wants. No matter how much I disagree with someone, I respect their opinion. I respect George W. Bush as a man, even if I do not seemingly agree with him as a President. I respect any man who is bold enough to step up to the challenges that the Presidency bring. It is becoming a very dangerous time in this country when we are able to so blatantly distinguish the difference between a patriot and a traitor. Today, if you go up to a Conservative, we'll hear them tell you that those damned liberals want to destory this country; they're opposed to the war; they don't support our troops. Go up to a liberal, and they'll tell you that they're the patriots and the conservatives are simply war mongering, God-loving freaks who want to take over the world. Both statements seem a little radical, but they are very commonly repeated in this country. I believe that everyone is patriotic in their own way- the ones who serve our country overseas, the ones who teach our children, the ones who protect our families, the ones who drive the cabs, the ones who nurse in the hospitals, and yes, the ones who are willing to speak out and go against the popular mindset. Our history is full of people who took that risk. Our country was founded because the American revolutionaries had the courage to go against England in order to preserve their freedom. The Civil Rights movement was a success much due to the efforts of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated because of his efforts and commitment to peace and change. I don't believe being a patriot is simply affirmed by your going along with the popular mindset. I believe that being a patriot is simply contributing. People like Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins- they are all patriots. Call them tratiors all you want. Say they don't support the troops. TREASON is when you give away real secrets to a real enemy. Martin Sheen and company have done no such thing. They support the troops because they don't want to see them die in what they believe to be an unneccessary war. When someone steps forward and tries to contribute for the good of his country- he is a patriot. Whether you agree with him or not- whether you are for this war, or against this war. We must remember that we are trying to instill democracy in Iraq. How can we claim to be the courier of freedom and basic human rights if we allow those who speak up their beliefs, even if they are unpopular to be fired, given death threats, called traitors, etc... Those who are opposed to the war and the President are simply trying to put their input on how this country should be run. They are exercising their god-given right to speak their mind. They are not treasoning. And they are not un-American. An American Nationalist wrote- "....patriot must always be prepared to defend his country against its government." That, my friends, is what a patriot should be. A patriot should exercise all of his constitutional rights and stand up for what he believes in. I do not support acts which limit the first amendment during a period of war. Like now, we are trying to instill democracy and freedom in Iraq. It shall not be our goal to show the world that we are UNITED.... it should be our goal to show the world that we all exercise our god-given right of free speech. Then, we are the true couriers of freedom. HAPPY EASTER. "If we cannot fulfill our ideals here at home, then we cannot expect those in other parts of the world to accept them." - John F. Kennedy, 1961.

I don't think this is a big political issue, per se, but it is an issue. On one hand, a certain amount of censorship is helpful (like keeping pornographic images away from children's tv shows, I think, is a good form of censorship). Having ratings on movies, games and music isn't that big of a deal. However, with books, magazines, and movies, these are things that can be avoided if you're truly offended. Recently, Wal-Mart stopped selling "men's magazines" such as Maxim and FHM due to their sexual content and to appease a few religious groups. I don't like those magazines either, but my course of action is to NOT pick those up and NOT read them. I wouldn't stop any of my friends from reading them, and I don't think that a belief system of a small group should be imposed on the rest of the public. Though Wal-Mart certainly has a right to refuse the sale of whatever items they don't want, I don't think it's Wal-Mart's duty to "promote morality"; rather, it should be the job of the family and/or the religious institutions.

We need a certain amount of it to protect children, especially in public areas and on tv. Other than that just don't look at it or listen to it if you don't like it I guess.

Well I think xxxxxx !!! %%%%%. And another thing, ^^^^((0%!@*&&%^%. Please come back in 2 years for the translation when the current regime has passed, and the Bill of Rights restored.

I am against censorship. I think one of the greatest things about this country is that anyone can say what they want and not be persecuted or killed by the government.

I may not agree with what you say, but I'll fight for your right to say it (ya jackass). Fight City Hall! Buck the system! Better yet - bite City Hall! F-- will this be censored? Just in case, I'll censor myself. (But you all know what was next:)

Censorship is nothing more than a minority of generally religous-right conservatives who feel that their own judgement of what is appropriate surpasses that of the rest of us. Therefore they attempt to force their beliefs on us "for our own good." I feel perfectly capable of making my own decisions.

Once we allow censorship to any degree we have to decide who is the one or ones to do the censoring. No human should have that right. Free expression needs to apply to everyone. We all want the right to express what we believe but many people have no problem censoring what they don't agree with. Truth has nothing to fear as long as everyone has the right to be heard.

My greatest concern with censorship is the question of who gets to decide what should be censored? I feel strongly that I'm fully capable of deciding for myself what I can or should read or see or hear. If it offends me, I don't have to read it, look at it, or listen to it! I definitely agree that pornography is a concern -- but again, who defines pornography? No, I'll cling to the freedom to make my own decisions about ideas, thoughts, art . . .

I am totally in favor of freedom of speech as it is stated in the Constitution, and therefore I am totally against censorship in that regard. However, I think it has been totally misinterpreted and abused in our modern era. The whole point of free speech was to allow people to express ideas and thoughts, primarily political. It had nothing to do with entertainment or moral behavior. That's why there always have been obscenity laws as well. Oregon, where I live, serves as an example of the abuse of the "free speech" clause. Over and over again there has been an attempt to pass zoning laws, which would regulate "adult" businesses from locating near a neighborhood or school district. The attempt isn't even to make such places illegal, but only to put restrictions on where they can do business. But every time such a measure gets on the ballot the opponents charge "censorship." That is an absurd interpretaion of censorship.

With all the pornographic crud that permeates our culture, this sometimes seems like a good idea. However, any move toward it usually tends to cause a backlash from those who are bound and determined to have there childish way rather than grow up and exhibit any taste. It's kind of like an old saying my great grandmother had "The more you stir an old stink the worse it smells." Many times the best way to deal with people or things that offend you is to just ignore them. Half the time the attention is all they wanted anyway.

Censorship of any kind is wrong. It is not the role of the government to decide what can be sold and what can't.

Censorship of any kind has one word that describes it perfectly: STUPID! Time after time after time after time after time, censors have gone after such stupid things. Such as doing a lot of whooping and hollering over cussing, drug content, sexual innuendo, violence, and a whole bunch of other things that are unbelieveably minor issues. We need to make it some sort of law that there should be NO CENSORING. I read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" for the first time in fifth grade and was not hurt or attacked in any way by the book. No more censoring, for God's sake! No more censoring! Lyric of the Day: Don't take offense at my innuendo!

I for one have never been an advocate for censorship. Censorship as such, violates people's freedom of speech. In a truly democratic society, people ought to be free to speak their mind, read what they like, listen to the music they want and so on. People must be given the right to make their own decisions in regards to the information/media they choose to access/obtain. Additionally, individuals must make their own personal decisions as to whether what they are viewing, listening to or reading is harmful or benign. In the end, it is individual decisions which dictate our daily lives and not Marilyn Manson. People have the choice as to whether they accept or reject what they are exposed to. Perhaps instead of censoring our teens, we ought to be spending more time teaching them right from wrong and hope that in the end they make good choices.

Censorship can be important to protect some minority groups, like Blacks, gays, Muslisms, whatever. But except this small exception, I think we face to much sensorship in today's society. The Netherlands should be a prototype. We need a liberal society where everyone is really free. If we can show murders & mass distruction in the cinema & on TV, why can't we show normal sex then? How can some say it's against the female's human rights? I thought sex was something nice for everyone, not a crime. If it wasn't, we wouldn't have been 6 billion people in the world today & women wouldn't have fallen in love with men. And if that's really why we have to sensor sex, what about gay sex then? There you can't talk about the women's rights, only about the rights of the gays, which I would think would become glad for more exposure in the media & the cultural life. :-) On this field I have a good feeling that the society soon will change to the better!

Not an important issue because the large majority of the country has very good instincts about freedom of speech issues. It is, however, important that people who advocate campaign finance reform consider the extent to which the bills pushed by McCain intend to silence political speech (and protect incumbant politicians). Also, I think that it would be helpful for people to consider more fundamentally what we mean by "the right to free speech." Some misunderstand this as a "right to be heard" wherever they are and in whatever context. A more proper understanding keeps property rights as the key principle. If I own the microphone, you don't have the right to use it. You also don't have a "right" to disrupt a meeting that I choose to hold in my own auditorium. These issues get trickier when they take place in the public square, but I am always surprised by how many people think rights of free expression trump property rights.

The liberal media have deliberatly pushed the lie that the First Amendment guarantees the right of free speech, regardless of the nature of that speech. It does not. The First Amendment guarantees the right to political free speech. It does not guarantee the right to use explicit language, or to dance nude on a table top for money. Nor does it guarantee the right to produce and disseminate pornography. There have always been standards of decency in this country. We need to observe them. We also need to be allowed to exercise our First Amendment rights, even if our opinion does not meet the approval of the liberal elite.

I think censorship is a very important issue that the government should pay attention to. If we lose our freedom of speech, then we are denied our right to truly be "free" Americans. I don't understand why some politicians push for censorship...Tipper Gore comes to mind, trying to censor the music industry. While I don't see a problem with putting ratings on music, movies, and TV shows in order for parents to know whether such material is acceptable for their children's age range, I definitely do not believe in total censorship on any level! It is not the responsibility of the government to say what people can or can't say or hear or watch. I get tired of hearing about how rap music and violent movies cause psychotic behavior. Truly disturbed individuals will act out their evil plots without the help of the entertainment industry. If you are offended by certain material, then simply avoid it!! Don't take away other's rights to enjoy such things.

Censorship is a very difficult issue. I do not believe that political speech should be censored. The only thing I believe should be censored is speech that can potentially do harm to someone in the community, who sets standards for what is permissible. This standard was set up by the Supreme court case Miller v. California.