So What Do You Think . . . ?

[indianasmith]

  I was visiting the local Temple of Consumerism to pay my respects to the Gods of Corporate Capitalism (aka "going to WalMart") the other day when I saw a car in the parking lot with a bumper sticker that read as follows: "F*** CENSORSHIP".   Except, of course, the F-bomb was NOT censored on the sticker.  My gut level reaction was something along the lines of "Yeah, and while we're at it, screw good manners and public decorum, too!!"  I mean, I do get the idea - in  a free society, censorship can be an oppressive and evil thing.  But at the same time, whatever happened to plain old good manners and common sense?

  And that is the heart of the moral dilemma that this two word bumper sticker presented me with.  On the one hand, I am a big First Amendment guy.  If rude and unpopular speech is NOT protected, then does our society really have "Free Speech" at all?  That's one reason so-called "Hate Speech" laws get me very antsy.  After all, who defines what "hate" is?  But then, on the other hand, as a conservative Christian, I am frankly offended when anybody, be it Gilbert Gottfried or Dick Cheney, goes dropping the F-bomb in a public venue where children can hear it. Or when patently adult pictures or subject matter are displayed in the public venue.  Shouldn't our freedoms and liberties as adults be handled with a certain amount of social and civic responsibility that takes the sensitivities of other citizens into account?  And where should that line be drawn?  How can parents protect their children from things that they find deeply offensive if those things are thrown down in the public arena without warning.

  Not trying to start any kind of flame war or liberal versus conservative thing here.  Just curious what other people's opinions are.  Where do you stand on this issue?

[Criswell]

Sounds more like someone just trying to be a a**hole then actually being concerned about censorship.

[Flick James]

I consider Larry Flynt a virtual litmus test for pushing the envelope of the 1st Amendment. Yes, at times he was simply thumbing his nose at the establishment, but at others there was a clear agenda involved that was important to establish. The man had some serious balls. Like when he was being given time in jail for contempt during one of his trials and saying to the judge, "Is that the best you got?" I wouldn't call him a hero, but I do appreciate his courage.

I don't go out of my way to shelter my kids from things, but I would like a reasonable expectation that they're not going to be exposed to lots of profanity when they step out the door every day. One of the reasons I believe so adamantly about property rights is that this is where the freedom of the individual is best protected. What goes on out in public is a little difficult to control. Sure, there are little things the law can do, like to not allow the f-bomb on bumper stickers, issues fines, etc. I would not really be too opposed to that.

The problem with it is that good old matter of the differences in what offends people. Do we prohibit the f-word to be displayed on bumper stickers? Do we prohibit same-sex couples from public displays of affection? How far is too far for a billboard when it comes to sexual suggestiveness? And on and on it goes.

I control what goes on in my home. I can't do much about what goes on in the WalMart parking lot.

[AndyC]

I generally subscribe to Edmund Burke's idea that we are qualified for civil liberty in direct proportion to our ability to control ourselves.

[SPazzo]

Okay, this is just my opinion.  I don't like the idea of censorship.  I think that people SHOULD be able to say what they want to without being censored or controlled.

That being said, there is a time and a place for swearing and the F-bomb.  I don't think they should automatically rate a movie R for having more than two F-bombs, but I also don't think that you should take a kid to a PG-13 or R rated movie either.  What I'm trying to say is that swearing shouldn't be censored, but you still shouldn't go around with a bumper sticker or a T-shirt with a swear word on it.  To me, that's the same as going up to a little kid and saying the swear word right to them (which I have seen happen).

Oh, and for the record, I swear, like a sailor.

[Allhallowsday]

...whatever happened to plain old good manners and common sense?
...

The philosophizing I can do without, that's why your quote is edited.  I didn't read it and I don't need to.  
That is what FREE SPEECH is all about.  We are not talking about NOISE POLLUTION are we?  You said it all with this one remark.  And that IS all.

[Olivia Bauer]

What language you use is your choice. If you offend someone by dropping an F-Bomb you're the one who made a bad choice. Also in terms of TV I like having some channels censored and other uncensored. If we have a pick of "Clean" and "Uncensored" channels bad language on TV won't be a problem. Also I like the idea of Unrated DVDs, It's a big sign saying "Watch at your own risk!"

As for this forum's censorship, I kinda like it. I can still say f**k, s**t, and a***ole but the stars cancel it out. As long as I express myself I don't care if it's censored, you get the message.

Fun Fact: I once saw a censored version of George Carlin's "The 7 Words You Can't Say On Television".

"****, *****, ********, ***, ********, ******, and ******** ******."

[dean]

Ah, eff it, if everyone said it nobody would care.   

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

I don't believe in censorship, outside of protecting my kids and I do that type.  I don't appreciate excessive profanity or even disrespectful language between people, even in fun.  But no outside body should decide what is printed or not.  People do need to THINK about what they say and how to say it, thats for f-ing sure