Difference between revisions of "Censorship"
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| − | '''Censorship''' is the prohibition of speech from a medium or audience for ideological reasons, as in the banning of [[prayer]] in the classroom or destruction of [[conservative]] newspapers on college campuses.<ref>http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19383118&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8</ref> Censorship can also take the form of ostracizing students for expressing [[pro-life]] or other [[conservative]] views | + | '''Censorship''' is the prohibition of speech from a medium or audience for ideological reasons, as in the banning of [[prayer]] in the classroom or destruction of [[conservative]] newspapers on college campuses.<ref>http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19383118&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8</ref> Censorship can also take the form of ostracizing students for expressing [[pro-life]] or other [[conservative]] views,<ref>See, e.g., [[liberals and friendship]]</ref> or the form of blocking people with whom you disagree, when they start to make too much sense.<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=block&user=Crocoite&page=</ref> <ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=block&user=Karajou&page=</ref>, or removing comments that reveal an administrator's arrogance or stupidity.<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Talk%3AAbortion_deceit&diff=411283&oldid=411282</ref> |
==The First Amendment and censorship in the U. S.== | ==The First Amendment and censorship in the U. S.== | ||
Revision as of 19:49, March 23, 2008
Censorship is the prohibition of speech from a medium or audience for ideological reasons, as in the banning of prayer in the classroom or destruction of conservative newspapers on college campuses.[1] Censorship can also take the form of ostracizing students for expressing pro-life or other conservative views,[2] or the form of blocking people with whom you disagree, when they start to make too much sense.[3] [4], or removing comments that reveal an administrator's arrogance or stupidity.[5]
The First Amendment and censorship in the U. S.
In the United States, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Broadly speaking, the First Amendment is designed to prevent the government from exercising censorship. However, the government sometimes censors political and religious speech anyway.
More specifically, the government should not exercise "prior restraint." That is, a citizen should not need advance permission from the government in order to publish something, unless it threatens national security. This does not mean that publication may not have consequences: a citizen can be sued for publishing libel, or incarcerated for disclosing military secrets, but the consequences typically occur after publication, not before.
Censorship is sometimes applied to prohibit obscenity that goes against common standards of public morality; however, these standards tend to fluctuate depending on time and place. Certain language and images that may have been censored in the past are typically common fare in the American media today. On the other hand, while nudity, for example, may be acceptable on mainstream French television, that is much less likely to be the case in conservative Muslim countries.
History
The word censorship derives from the name of the Roman officials who conducted the census and supervised public morality.
Quotes
- "All censorships exist to prevent anyone from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions. Consequently the first condition of progress is the removal of censorship. George Bernard Shaw[6]
References
- ↑ http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19383118&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8
- ↑ See, e.g., liberals and friendship
- ↑ http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=block&user=Crocoite&page=
- ↑ http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=block&user=Karajou&page=
- ↑ http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Talk%3AAbortion_deceit&diff=411283&oldid=411282
- ↑ "The Author's Apology, preface to "Mrs. Warren's Profession".