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Music Censorship

March 8, 2001
English 102
Synthesis paper

Racism, hate, sex, drugs, and profanity are among many things people encounter in everyday life whether they want to or not. The one thing that people do have control over is what kind of music they listen to and to take that right away from anyone would be more offensive than having the president of the United States of America get oral sex in the oval office, one of the most honored places in the country. People get more worked up over the things in life that mean nothing, than worrying about crucial issues. Our society can tolerate watching parents smack their children in *Wal-Mart more than they can stand to hear a curse word, or a sexual comment in a song. Music is an expression of the artist and should be treated as that. Censoring music is like telling Michelangelo he could not put the penis on "David". The truth is that censoring music is an action that goes against the constitution of the United States of America and although some content may offend people, prohibition of freedom of expression violates the rights of more than those offended.

In a democracy, there is absolutely no chance to please everyone but taking away their rights as citizens will upset even more of the population. Under the first amendment of the constitution it states that congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech; or of the press (www.cwrl.utexas.... 1). Without this amendment our country would practically be under communist ruling, one of the major issues this country is against. This amendment gives people the right to voice their opinion and speak out in what they do and do not believe in and gives them the right to express themselves. Expression equals art and there is no question that music is an art form. The act of censoring music is the same as if we told Picasso what colors he could or could not use....