Thread: music censorship

Originally Posted by JMS

Only one song ought to be legally black listed

As soon as the system lets me start giving out rep again, I am going to give you negative rep for that one

Originally Posted by smokelaw1

Great points Jockeys. If someone points out SKREWDRIVER to Amazon or iTunes, do I think they should elgally have to listen to it and make the call? hell no.
Do I think they SHOULD, morally, do a bit of checking where appropriate and remove the worst of the worst? Not allowing themselves to be used by extremists? Yes.
Will I no longer purchase from those avenues if they don't listen to my thoughts? nah, I'll still use them. Would I sign a petition or letter writing campaign to encourage them? join the facebook group (if one existed?) You bet.

COULD the Dixie Chix or Nugent be seen as hate groups? By someone? Sure. Do I think most rational people would? No.

where's the line for extremism? i know people who DO think the dixie chicks shouldn't be sold in stores. I know people who think that Skrewdriver should be on the radio (and it sometimes is, if you have satellite).

You advocate the morality of opposing extremism, yet all I can see is an arbitrary line in the sand that you've drawn. It represents your comfort level with certain ideologies. Nothing more. It's certainly not a guideline that can be used meaningfully.

Personally, I don't have much use for racism or racist music. Seems kinda silly to me to hate folks 'cause of how much melanin they were born with. But I'll defend, with my life if needed, the rights of those silly folks to state their opinions.

"Most rational people" isn't much of a guideline either. If we just go on popularity, all we've done is exchange on kind of majority harrassing a minority for some other majority harrassing a minority. Whether the minority is skin color or opinion, does it matter?

Whatever you are linking to doesn't work at my office. What song?

Originally Posted by smokelaw1

Whatever you are linking to doesn't work at my office. What song?

Kumbaya sung by Joan Biaz

I think the burden of censorship lies within each individual, or their legal guardian. It's as simple as that. We cannot critique anyone for writing offensive music, as it is an expression of their viewpoint, regardless of how askew it may be to our own. However, parents should be the ones to explain to their kids that "killing jews," or "slappin' hos" is wrong, and should censor it.

When I was younger, my parents forbade me to watch Bevis and Butthead, because they said "testicles." Did my parents write an angry letter to MTV? No. Did I realize "testicles" was not something to be said to your parents, or to any authority figure? Yes. It was censored to me, due in large part to the diligence of my parents, as it should be.

Originally Posted by jockeys

where's the line for extremism? i know people who DO think the dixie chicks shouldn't be sold in stores. I know people who think that Skrewdriver should be on the radio (and it sometimes is, if you have satellite)..

Why do they think they shouldn't be sold in stores? because they think they are morally repugnant, and that the store owner would be doing a good act by not selling them. OK. If enough people agree, the owner has every right not to sell it.

You advocate the morality of opposing extremism, yet all I can see is an arbitrary line in the sand that you've drawn. It represents your comfort level with certain ideologies. Nothing more. It's certainly not a guideline that can be used meaningfully..

I don't deny that I am universally (though I won't agree with 'arbitrarily') against promoting hate. I admitted to my biases in my second post in this thread. I do, however, disagree quite strongly with your last sentence. A business most certinly MAY listen to its customers and to the public at large, and remove that music, art, etc that is most opposed by the most people. It is their right. I BELIEVE, because of my biases, that it is actually their DUTY to do so. You may not, that is fine, but do you believe it is their right? If they wouldn't any works showing blacks, jews, gays, immigrants, etc in ANY positive light, is that there right? Yes. Do I think they would become the wpowerhouses of the e-conomy acting in such a way? Nope.

Personally, I don't have much use for racism or racist music. Seems kinda silly to me to hate folks 'cause of how much melanin they were born with. But I'll defend, with my life if needed, the rights of those silly folks to state their opinions.

Agreed fully. Racists and extremists have every right to use their freedom of speech. The public at large, the "market" does not have to stand idly by while privat business helps them spread their bile.