Editorial for Thursday, June 22nd, 2000
Censorship
Ah... I flipped on the TV the other day. Seeing that it was daytime, I knew that nothing worthwhile was on TV. So, I channel surfed for a bit. I stopped on Comedy Central. Kids in the Hall was on. Canadian sketch comdey. Well, they're doing their bit, and he goes for the punch line. It was cut out because a word was deemed "inappropriate". I was pissed; I just watched a 5 minute sketch, and it was lost on me because the censors found the punchline obscene. So, I flip channels some more. I go past MTV (which I normally can't stand) and Papa Roach was on. I watch the video, and they censor out a whole verse, almost. Here's the verse.
Cut my life into pieces, this is my last resort
suffication, no breathing, don't give a [removed] if I cut my arm bleeding.
Would it be wrong, would it be right
if I took my life tonight, chances are that I might
Mutliation out of sight, and I'm comptemplating suicide
However, MTV decided that was wrong, so during the video, it sounded like this
[beep] my life into pieces, this is my last resort
[beep], no [beep], don't give a [beep] if I [beep] my [beep] [beep].
Would it be wrong, would it be right
if I [beep] my [beep] tonight, chances are that I might
[beep] out of sight, and I'm [beep] [beep]
This song was written telling what he felt like after his mom died. Obviously, he didn't kill himself (or else he... uhh, wouldn't be singing this song). When you censor something that much, the whole song loses its point. All the anguish, the pain, the hurt that the songwriter went through, that he tried to relate to whomever listens to the song; goes bye-bye. The whole message of the song: gone. Censorship violates the freedoms that we were granted under the constitution. If you're offended by cuss words, don't speak them. If someone cusses around you, politely ask them not to. However, I'm tired of things like this. Wal-Mart is one of my biggest peeves at the moment. Until recently, I was unaware that they censored their CD's. They do not put up a notice anywhere saying "We censor our CDs" or "We're an oppressive BigBrother who deems what you should and shouldn't listen to". So, I bought Cake's "Fashion Nugget" CD... Good CD. Until I realized that it was censored. Its one thing if i KNEW that it was censored. However, they did not give me any notice whatsoever. I have a small problem with that. I spent $15 of my money (and that's alot when you don't have a job) to buy a CD, and its not what I thought it was. So, about a month later, I went to Sam's Club (a big warehouse store). They had the End Of Days soundtrack. It looked pretty good. I bought it. Censored. No notice whatsoever. Who is Wal-Mart to decide what I should and shouldn't listen to? Who is the FCC to say what I should and shouldn't listen to? Shouldn't that be my personal choice?
Until Next Time,
Tomthinian
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Subject- I dunno
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