Alanna+Battistini



//Parental Advisory//. N.d. Photograph. //Photo Bucket//. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. .

Johns, Marc. //Stop The Bad Music//. 2009. Photograph. //Marc Johns-Serious Drawings//. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. .

"Explicit" Expression: Bleeping Out Music Lyrics

By: Alanna Battistini

Guiding Research Question: Should listeners be able to restrict the free speech of music artists?

I am interested in researching music censorship because most people cannot go throughout their day without turning on the radio or listening to some sort of music. Music is a form of expression for not only the writer, but also for the listener. Music lyrics discuss very keen topics occurring in our society however, the problem is that our youth are hearing these songs as well. This topic should continue to be important to Americans because it could impact the way future generations are able to express themselves. "Censorship merely sweeps immoral dust under the politically correct carpet of society." -Anonymous "Entertainment Opinions." //Debate//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. .

"The Censorship of Music: Silencing the World." //Teen Ink//. Emerson Media, 7 Aug. 2010. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. .


 * **Viewpoints For Censoring Music Lyrics** || ** Viewpoints Against Censoring Music Lyrics ** ||
 * Prevents young children from using inappropriate language || Offers a diluted version of reality ||
 * Offensive lyrics could incite public violence which could have otherwise been avoided || Children have most likely already heard explicit words from just being in the general public (over which their parents have no control), aside from what they have heard on the raido ||
 * Have "clean" and "dirty" versions of songs available for purchase but only play "clean" versions on the radio || There is no possible way to censor all lyrics that are considered "objectional" ||
 * Vulgar music will corrupt the minds of the youth and should be censored anywhere it can be heard or mimicked || It is the parents' duty to teach their child right from wrong, that way when such music is heard, the child will be able to handle themselves in a mature way based upon their morals ||
 * Society's use of profanity will continue to worsen if censors are not put in place || With most radio edited songs, it is considerably easy to replace the "bleep" with the intended explicit lyric, defeating the entire point of censorshiop ||
 * Suggestive lyrics are creating a cultural norm in which guys view women and their bodies as objects || If a song's lyrics offends the audience, don't listen to it/change the station. Chances are all lyrics will offend a particular person in one way or another ||
 * Censors should be insituted into today's lyrics to filtrate the vulgar expressions that are contaminating modern day citizens || Disables music artists' rights to say what they think, feel, or believe ||
 * "Censorship is an effective method of keeping music's corrosive messages out of the hands of those who are most susceptible to becoming victims of its immoral perceptions (Entertainment Opinions)" || Giving someone the right to censor another's work implies that they are superior (The Censorship of Music) ||

Court Cases:

Federal Communications Commission V. Fox Television Stations

Music artists such as Cher and Nicole Richie have let “obscure, four-letter words” slip out of their mouths while accepting prestigious awards. Fox was fined by the Federal Communications Commission on this account but the fines were later invalidated because the court said FCC rules were “unconstitutionally vague.” Radio broadcasting rules can be unclear or ambiguous. In the long run, this can confuse radio stations to the point where they indeed broadcast vulgar words because of their uncertainty of which words are and are not allowed to be announced to the entire world.

Federal Communications Commission v. Fox Television Stations.Supreme Court. 10 Jan. 2012. //Supreme Court of the United States//. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

Federal Communications Commission V. Pacifica Foundation

A disturbed father called the Federal Communications Commission to file a complaint after hearing "Filthy Words". The father’s son happened to be in the car when the sarcastic monologue began to play, showing a humorous take on society’s attitude and perspective towards “bad” words. In his monologue, Carlin discussed “words you can never say on public airways,” proceeding to list these terms. . . on public airways. Pacifica Foundation was fined after the ruling that Carlin’s monologue depicted “sexual and excretory activities in a particularly offensive manner, when children are undoubtedly in the audience.” Young children are becoming corrupted by the profane speech being transmitted over public airways.

Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation.The Supreme Court. 3 July 1978. //Justia Supreme Court Center//. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.

Skywalker Records Incorporated V. Navarro

This court case is on account of the band “2 Live Crew” and their song called //Nasty.// The song’s numerous references to genitalia and intercourse raised eyebrows throughout the entire music industry. Many argue that the song should not be banned because it was at the top of the Billboard Hits chart several weeks in a row and sold nearly two million copies. Music censorship strangles artists’ rights to self expression and also describes what will happen if this type of immoral language continues to saturate future generations, eventually leading to the downfall of society.

Skywalker Records Incorporated v. Navarro. Supreme Court. 25 Aug. 2010. //Law Riot//. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

What I Think:

The values of our rights are slowly vanishing amidst the chaotic blur of a lifestyle deemed morally appropriate, which the government has created. Our lifestyles clash as we reach unsurpassable boundaries enforced by the same government that was installed to protect and ensure our freedoms as citizens. Every restriction and restraint on our First Amendment Rights leads us further down an irreversible path towards a muted society; one in which self-expression is prohibited and where reality or what we consider to be “reality” is just a mere glimpse of the freedom we once had.

Works Cited: Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition. Supreme Court. 30 Oct. 2001. //Cornell University// //Law School//. 16 Apr. 2002. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.

"Banned Lyrics." //Music Lyrics//. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.

"Entertainment Opinions." Debate. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

Federal Communications Commission v. Fox Television Stations.Supreme Court. 10 Jan. 2012. //Supreme Court of the United States//. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation.The Supreme Court. 3 July 1978. //Justia Supreme Court Center//. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.

Haselhurst, Geoff. "Henry David Thoreau: Transcendental Philosophy." //Space and// //Motion//. 11 Sept. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.

Hudson, David. "Ice-T Reflects on Free Speech and Censorship." //First Amendment// // Center //. 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

Hudson, John. "Supreme Court May Allow Radio Stations to Drop the F-Bomb." //The// // Atlantic Wire //. 11 Jan. 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

Lombardi, Victor. "Music and Censorship." //Noise Between Stations//. Dec. 1991. Web.10 Dec. 2012.

Skywalker Records Incorporated v. Navarro. Supreme Court. 25 Aug. 2010. //Law// // Riot //. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

"The Censorship of Music: Silencing the World." //Teen Ink//. Emerson Media, 7 Aug. 2010. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.