Censoring the Music That Corrupts Today's Youth
One of the liberties that Americans take for granted is the freedom to say what we like. This freedom was given to us in the first amendment, which states:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or the press; or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Artists such as Eminem and The Bloodhound Gang take this for granted, interpreting it as the right to be offensive. Such artists agree that censoring their music is taking away from the message that their lyrics deliver. If recording artists expressed less profanity in their lyrics, censorship would not be necessary.
People that create, perform or distribute works of art add to the exchange of ideas and opinions, which is necessary for a democratic society. This is why the government censors less than many people say they should censor. However, if the artists used less profanity in their lyrics than they presently do, harsh censorship would not be necessary and it would take nothing away from the effect that the writer is trying to deliver. For example, in the popular Eminem song
"Marshall Mathers," the lyrics read:
"New Kids on the Block, sucked a lot of d---
Boy/girl groups make me sick
And I can't wait 'til I catch all you f-----s in
public
I'ma love it...."
That is a popular line in a song played on such radio stations as WHTZ, Z100 and WLIR Long Island Radio. Both of these stations are geared towards a juvenile audience. That means that the individual radio broadcasting stations must take the necessary precautions to prevent children from listening to this profanity. Even more caution must be taken due to the age of the average listener.
Offensive language is not the only form of profanity that is corr...