What is censorship? The Webster's New World College Dictionary defines it as, "... the agency by which unpleasant ideas, memories, etc. are kept from entering consciousness..." Is that what we are doing, by censoring things... merely pulling a sheet over our eyes to blind us from reality? How shallow is that? You would think that in a world such as ours, a world that claims to give us the right of free speech and opinion, we would not have to resort to such measures.
             In my opinion, censorship takes away the means of expression for a lot of us. Whether it be to the artists or the people who relate to the artists... It takes away their rights... it takes away most of who they are as people, it rejects them as individuals. I have a hard time with this concept... judging them by what we see, without getting to know anything more. If anything, I think the people that are creating these "questionable" issues are to be commended because they know who they are as people and aren't afraid to show it. They are the ones forcing the rest of us to look at issues that are easier to be set aside... they make us think and reflect upon ourselves as people and the things that surround us.
             Although, with all that said, maybe we are changing... in a turn toward the better. I say this because I recently observed what I thought to be truly remarkable, in my terms. Eminem, the rap artist known to have sexist and violent lyrics, recently took the stage at the Grammy Awards and performed with the aid of the respected Elton John. Despite some of Eminem's lyrics and his openness about anti-homosexuals, he agreed to a performance with the openly gay Elton John. "We can't edit out the art that makes us uncomfortable..." They gave a performance that most people never thought likely to happen... but they did it and it was definitely a significant moment in music history. Maybe the artist that has generated the most
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