My rant on censorship

[Movie Nerd]

Not to be political on here, but I must say that I am disheartened at my close friends and family members, people I care about deeply, arguing against and in some cases calling for a boycott of books, movies and television shows because they don't fit neatly into their little worldview based on whacked-out interpretations of what their preacher says. My own parents, fairly conservative religious types, have been pretty good about allowing me to read and watch stuff at my own discretion--they trust me to make intelligent decisions on what material to look through and what to think of it--but sometimes we do butt heads on various books and movies. Which is fine in and of itself; general disagreements in taste and artistic values is a great change for exchanging ideas which can benefit all persons involved. But out in the real world, some people want to take their personal tastes anduse them as an excuse to dictate what other people can or cannot view or read. (BTW, in no way am I saying my parents do this--they for the most part have said that they abhor censorship, and they support my opinion on this.)

Here are just a few examples of books and movies being challenged for various reasons, and my commentary on the matter:

FAHRENHEIT 451 promoted the Bible and other books as being important enough to preserve, and just because the people in the book burned the Bible does not mean that the Bible was being ridiculed. Ray Bradbury was brought up a Babptist, people--get an education before you speak.

CHASING AMY is a decent flick exploring how person's past and personal insecurities regarding human sexuality can hinder and affect person-to-person romantic and platonic relationships. Just beceause there's a lot of potty humor involved in the message's package does not mean you need to ignore the message. Get over your sensibilities for a few minutes to take in what the filmmaker was trying to say before you get worked up over the genital humor.

THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, while not a Biblically-literal take on the whole Jesus/Crucifixion story, helped me in my own struggles exploring the whole fully God/fully man angle of Jesus Christ. Most if not all of the Jesus films I've watched depict Jesus in the fully God light; it was refreshing to see the other side of the coin. Those of you who bashed this movie, while at the same time championing Gibson's gory, exploitative, anti-Semitic movie THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST need to take a few minutes to look at where I'm coming from on this, and reconsider your priorities a little bit.

FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON, the book version, had psychological, political, and sexual aspects worked into the plot, as Charly Gordon struggled with his emotional as well as his intellectual growth. Many people didn't like the fact that the book discussed sex, even though it was very humanely and tastefully done. Never mind the fact that the book detailed the sexual aspects as a way of showing a window into Charly's inner turmoil as he's trying to reclaim his personal identity--some people would rather not talk about sex or identity issues at all and pretend like they don't exist. Grow up and show that you care about people's struggles.

I could go on and on with these examples but it probably would get boring really quick. I think I made my point. Some of my close friends and family members might not like every single thing I have to say here, but hopefully they will understand the point I'm getting at with this and respect what I am trying to accomplish. And maybe I care a little too much about these books and movies, but if we are ever to grow as individuals and as a culture, then we must be open to any and all ideas laid out on the table, take them on their own terms, and decide their validity within the context of when and how they were presented. After reading some of the struggles a fellow writer was dealing with at his library, as well as what a relative was struggling with in regards to his faith and sexual identity, I felt I had to contribute my piece on the world of opinion, dissent, and censorship.

The point is this: regardless of where you stand on a religious, political, sexual, artistic or familial level, books and movies which deal with these issues, and books and movies in general, are far too important to just ignore and throw away, There was somebody out there who took the time to write that book and make that movie; it wasn't a mere nothing that these things were created. Give them the respect they accorded.

Once again, I'm sorry for getting political, and I am sorry for being long-winded, This is something I am struggling with at the moment, and I felt it necessary to speak up on the subject. This may not even be the right forum to vent, but I wanted to put it out there anyway, in case others wanted to speak up too.

And for the sake of my mom and dad, I want to say this: I felt uncomfortable when the whole eating out scene came up in CHASING AMY. And I agree it was a little much. We're in agreement on that, and I love you both for putting up with me and my wanting to watch all these ridiculous movies. You've both been understanding of this, and you're good for doing it.

[youkrst]

some great stuff in there MN!

calling for a boycott of books, movies and television shows because they don't fit neatly into their little worldview based on whacked-out interpretations of what their preacher says.

can def. relate

THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST,

just watched this for the first time the other night. Dafoe, Keitel and Bowie were rockin' the house, great performances, also i found myself nodding in agreement with you as i read what you said there.

[Movie Nerd]

Thanks mate--this was originally a Facebook post that was inspired by some stuff I saw other people posting that got me thinking about this sort of thing. I never did like censorship, and I never will.

[Cattleman]

I posted the following quote from Thomas Jefferson in the favorite quotes thread, but will repeat it here. It succinctly conveys my thoughts on censorship.

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."

[Movie Nerd]

I posted the following quote from Thomas Jefferson in the favorite quotes thread, but will repeat it here. It succinctly conveys my thoughts on censorship.

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."

That's exactly what censorship is--tyranny over the mind of man. I find it sickening.

[Kevin]

I don't see the motivation for apologizing about being political in a forum that begins with the word "political." Then again I don't see your post as being particularly political in nature anyway... but what I want to say is that censorship goes beyond boycott, disdain and disinterest, which seems to me to be the focus of your post. Censorship is something that requires governmental sanctioned (or whatever the relevant authority in question happens to be) suppression of art and ideas.

[Cattleman]

Censorship takes many forms. Removal of a book from library shelves, because it does not conform to some group's ideology, or offends them, is censorship. So is banning a book from being sold or given away. The United States is not the only country that has fits and 'rightness' in its reading material. Many countries go further; some Middle Eastern countries make it a crime to criticize Muhammad, even to invoking the death penalty.

No one forces anyone to read a particular book. If you don't want to read it, fine; but don't tell me I can't read it.

Some years ago, I was teaching an adult education course at our local university. I had drawn up a list of supplemental reading materials, and before distributing to my students, went to the main library to check on availability of those titles. It happened to be 'Banned Books Week' (Yes, there is such a week). In the main foyer, there was a glass display case, the kind where you could display small aritifacts and collections. The case was empty except for a card with this printed message: "If some people had their way, these are the books you could read."

[lehelvandor]

Indeed. Not to "plug" but having lived in a wonderful stalinist-type regime, it had many forms... and when I read Fahrenheit 451 back then, I read it as a book about those types of censorship.

When I re-read it in my newly chosen home, in a historical democracy and a "free" society, I had to realise that the same book was so breathtakingly spot-on about other subtler censorship.

I remember also Philip K. Dick's Mold of Yancy, which is perhaps the perfect totalitarian censored society: people genuinely could write, think, say anything... but 99.999% just think, say, do the same things... have same views about everything.

This self-censorship, that is a result of subtle persistent brainwashing (from consumerism to whatever) is the ideal form - nobody feels the effect of enforced external factors...

One aspect is the information overload, see how a vast majority overloaded with the available artistic/cultural output ends up channeled into the same narrow "mainstream" corridors of taste, thought etc.

There is a genuine, real anecdote that has become almost mythical and very fictional-sounding, but it did happen: in the glory days of stalinist regimes of the Eastern Bloc, we actually used to receive letters that had two kinds of stamped inscription on the envelope and inside (!): one used to say that the letter was deteriorated in transit (always perfectly cut edges, glued back with sticky tape...), the other was funnier: you could find it inside on first page for example, and it said: this letter was not censored. Clearly not, as it was opened, looked at and then decided not to be made to "disappear"...

[Movie Nerd]

I don't see the motivation for apologizing about being political in a forum that begins with the word "political." Then again I don't see your post as being particularly political in nature anyway... but what I want to say is that censorship goes beyond boycott, disdain and disinterest, which seems to me to be the focus of your post. Censorship is something that requires governmental sanctioned (or whatever the relevant authority in question happens to be) suppression of art and ideas.

Censorship can also be person-to-person; essentially it's the irony of shouting, "SHUT UP!" into a bullhorn.

Many people in the Tea Party (no offense to any members who read this) scream against and suppress anyone who speaks out in counter-protest to them. The Westboro Baptist Church asked for people not to picket their founding pastor's funeral, despite the fact that they made a name for themselves for this sort of behavior. Both are examples of hypocrisy and censorship. Whenever a person or group closes out dissenting opinion or thought, censorship rears its big ugly head.

[Movie Nerd]

I remember also Philip K. Dick's Mold of Yancy, which is perhaps the perfect totalitarian censored society: people genuinely could write, think, say anything... but 99.999% just think, say, do the same things... have same views about everything.

This self-censorship, that is a result of subtle persistent brainwashing (from consumerism to whatever) is the ideal form - nobody feels the effect of enforced external factors.

That is where we are now, I feel: a consumerist society, with a blanket of faux-democracy so that the people have the illusion of choice. We need to wake up and share our voices to be heard.