Censorship of Music Essay -- social issues

Censorship of Music In today's society, all types of music artists are expressing their views, opinions and feelings in their songs about what they see and what they know. This is on of the great things about this country, the freedom to express yourself. It is not fair, nor is it constitutional that music should be censored in anyway. It is not only rap music trying to be censored it is in all types of music. They are taking away their rights and it isn't fair. As reported in the New York Times. "Wall-Mart CD standards are Changing Pop Music", Wal-Mart and other large department stores sell CD's by your favorite artists which are not what your favorite artists originally created. Some retailers refuse to carry CDs with "Parental Advisory Stickers", a few also go as far as to make it known to labels and artists that if the CD comes to their shelves with a "dirty" word, a "controversial" cover, or an "explicit" lyric it will not be allowed on the shelves. Some of the artists include Nirvana, Beck, John Mellencamp and the list goes on. (Internet ultratnet) The most recent case involving Wal-Mart and censorship, was the new Sheryl Crow album. A song on the album which lashes the company for selling guns that end up in the wrong hands as caused the company to ban the album in stores. (Schruers 64) Delores Tucker, William Bennett, Senator Joseph Lieberman, and Senator Sam Nunn held a press conference in Washington D.C. The message: censor obscene music and censor "pro-drug lyrics". These censors announced their plan to pressure major record companies to discontinue production of what they called "obscene" music and music which contains " blatantly pro-drug lyrics. All of the CDs targeted as "obscene" already carry RIAA Parental Advisory Labels. Parents are already provided with the information they need if they choose to monitor their children's musical selections. Discontinuing production of this music takes the freedom of expression away form everyone- musicians and fans of every age. (Internet ultranet) The increas ing controversy surrounding rap music, with its rough-edged lyrics about sex and violence, has prompted two very different responses from black oriented radio stations in New York and Los Angeles. Two stations WBLS New York and KACE in Los Angeles, have announced they wont play the roughest and most offensive songs. A third station WPWR opted... ... of their age. I always tell them that if you want to keep listening to the music that you enjoy, starting today you have to learn to fight back. If you don't fight for your own freedom, no one is going to give it to you". (Internet xnet). Morello believes and I agree, speech and expression are being shackled in the U.S., and she puts much of the blame on the current political climate. " Cenosorship is coming down now harder then it has before. " she says. " Look at the Congress we have, trying to take funds away from the National Endowment for the arts, trying to kill public television. They must be living in the Dark Ages." (Internet xnet). After reaserching music censorship and supporting anti-censorship organizations, I realize that there is much wrok to be done to get free speech. There will always be someone or some group to stand aganist what you believe. I think the only way to really gain full freedom of speech is to fight and not give up. I think that the more people realize that rights are being violated, the more people will support the anit-censorship groups. I believe that people who do support these groups should really get involved. It is the only way we can win.