Tuesday, February 5, 2013
3* Censorship- Here and China
Do you think if our government started censoring work like the Chinese government does now the product would be civilized and orderly people, or spark a revolution because it angered people? What do you think the role of government should be when it comes to censorship?
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If the United States government came close to the kind of censorship that China has, every decent American would follow through on their duty to revolt. We tried censorship when John Adams passed the Sedition Act and it did not last very long and should serve as an example of the impossibility of Americans letting their government overly control them. Government should not censor any type of speech that doesn't take away more rights than it provides. Unpopular, disgusting, and irrelevant speech is protected under the first amendment despite any court ruling. Just because the supreme court rules that an unconstitutional action is constitutional, it does not mean that they are right. On the contrary, Americans should have the right to create any type of speech except yelling fire in a crowded movie theater, harassment, and things of that nature like threats. Freedom of speech, like the right to bear arms, is a necessity to protect all freedom.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if the United States were to start censoring things that it would spark a revolution because people would be so angry. One reason why people would censor things is because we have a right to voice our opinion. If the government were to start censoring things that people had written, those certain individuals would get angry. When the government starts censoring stories or ideas, it is basically like hiding the truth from the public. People would be upset that they are not getting the full story, or in some cases that they are being lied to. I do not believe that the government should censor anything because like I said before, it is hiding the truth.
ReplyDeleteCensorship can lead to good things but also can lead to harming a nation. First of all China is a totalitarian dictatorship, also know as communism. They control every aspect of every citizen's lives. Everything they publish on the internet, through text and so on will eventually be seen by the government. This sort of censorship is wrong and morally incorrect and an invasion of people's privacy. I think that censorship at Chinese extremes is excessive and could spark a revolution from anger of the citizens. People need the freedom of speech which allows them to voice their opinion freely and appropriately. Censorship of certain speech however, to a degree is considered an exception of censorship. If someone is harassing some one or using speech inappropriately then I believe speech should be banned. Just like some people believe "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn", by Mark Twain should be censored for it derogatory slang and use of the n-word. In the end of it all, people would become angry because people like to voice their opinions. Censorship of people's freedom is wrong and morally unjust. One way a government should have censorship in cases of threats and violence. For example, any criminal threats should be censored by the government for the benefit and health of citizens. I believe censorship to a degree is okay in a society.
ReplyDeleteIf any level close to that of China were implemented in the United States, chaos would ensue. In the United States millions of people pride themselves of being free, and having many amazing liberties. If the government started to censor, assuming they could get around the Constitution, Americans would not react well. It would be virtually impossible for censorship to happen in the United States, due to the high levels of freedoms citizens can currently use to their advantage. Like millions of Americans would say, censorship is wrong. There are no honest benefits to censorship. Although the immediate effect might look good, censorship promotes lying and hiding. In a modern world, censorship is not logical, and should not be looked at as a viable option.
ReplyDeleteIf the federal government of the United States were to enact policy that would enforce censorship of various works and intellectual property such as books or oration, the citizens would reflect a very negative response, whether it be from the vote, protest, or a revolt. The social and ideological climate of the United States is much different than China in respect to personal freedom, in particular, the freedom of speech spawning from the the 1st Amendment. In response, any mass censorship in the United States will be met with much hostility in various forms.
ReplyDeleteI believe that government should only censor information, if and only if it directly compromises the safety of the life of one or more individuals (for example, disclosure of the location of military personnel in a wartime scenario.
I believe that if our government was to copy te Chinese government and begin to censor everything there would be a large rebellion against it. I do not think people in our nation would be able to make that drastic change, nor do I think it is right to ask of them. Censorship is a very controversial topic across the board, but I in no way agree that government should censor what we as American citizens see. It is extremely important that we as citizens of this country see what is actually happening in our society, for not knowing would create horrible ignorance among the people. Censoring at that large of a level is wrong and violating our first amendment rights. I do not believe in this kind if censorship on any grounds, censorship in our government should only be used to protect its people, not create ignorant and unknowing citizens.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the freedom we have today in America, if our government were to censor like the chinese government, there would be a huge uproar. People would not be civil to this change and they would revolt. The government should not hold the power to censor. It takes away some of our first freedoms ever given, speech and press. Which would reverse what we find so important in our society.
ReplyDeleteIn the Union, we have faced many struggles in our short span. Yet, even more struggles have been avoided from our past. When these United States were merely Colonies to the British Crown,our ancestors faced many atrocities at the hands of government unaware of when to stop injustice. Things like restriction of the press, speaking out against the king, and thoughts like liberty and rights.
ReplyDeleteTo censor is a slippery slope, one not easily broken of.
I feel that in the United States, we, as Americans, are born and raised with the mindset that revolves around total freedom. As a child, we are taught that freedom is not being restricted in any way. The freedom to read or not read a book, for example, is obviously a small freedom compared to racial and genderistic freedom, but still stands as a freedom. People may find offense to a novel such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, so if necessary, which it clearly seems so, a censored version of the novel, or any other media outlet, can be censored if chosen. Whether the government is involved or not is not of concern, as long as the original uncensored and unedited version still exists. When it comes to China's government and ideals, freedom of the people is not as valued to the government as it is with our current government. With my first point in mind that Americans are born with fully recognizable freedom, I believe that we would revolt and destroy anything that could lead to more government control, such as censoring or banning certain aspects of life (media, daily activities, etc...).
ReplyDeleteI feel that if the U.S. government censored as heavily as China did people would be very agitated. I have a problem with over-censorship but I do see the importance of government having a role in censorship. The government should ban materials and/or punish publishers if what they said/written is not spelled out as protected in the constitution or if it endangers the well-being of others. I, however, firmly believe that government should not make any actions of censorship on materials before they are published, regardless of how they will be viewed. I believe that the government should have this sort of role in censorship because I support government involvement on anything that involves the overall good of the people.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Americans everywhere would be outraged and protest if the government here began censoring the internet as China's government does. Because we live in a country in which there is little censorship of what is seen or posted on the internet, the government would not be able to suddenly begin censoring the internet, like the Chinese government, without sparking a revolution. Most people would not be ignorant to the fact that they aren't seeing everything that is going on in the world or country or even past events. It is important for people to learn about things that are happening in the world or things that have happened in the past, whether they be positive or negative, and the government should not have the right to censor the internet and deprive people of this knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the purpose of the federal government is to secure the purpose of our life and journey on earth by allowing us freewill. What is life if one is not allowed to think? – Restrictive governments such as the Chinese don’t allow their people to think, they want complete control and obedience. This summer we witnessed a forced abortion of a fully developed child, where a mother was kidnapped, despite the fact her family filled out legal documents and paid fees in order to keep their baby. The child was mutilated in unspeakable ways and the mother of the child was forced to give birth to her mangled, dead, very human, child. This government wants fear, this government wants obedience, and complete power, censorship or control in the name of fear or distortion of free will is incredibly immoral and thus I am thoroughly against censorship
ReplyDeleteI believe if the government started to heavily censor society like the Chinese government, people would revolt. We live ina society founded on the Bill of Rights, a specified list of individual liberties. If the government attacked said liberties, revolt would be the only option of change. Look at the Sedition Act and its quick removal. Americans are passionate about individual freedoms,and would fight for their protection. Also, I believe government should have a very limited role in censorship because I believe censorship spawns ignorance and oppression. Government should play no part in censorship unless it is for a security or drastic reason. Government is there to maintain society, not silence it.
ReplyDeleteI believe if the government censored work like the chinese did people would be outraged not only due to the violation of our first amendment, the freedom of speech but because the people of the U.S. want to know their government and the society around them especially in a democracy. In China they censor everything offensive whatsoever to the point where the people of their country are ill informed and thats their society. The society of the U.S. contains a key factor contributing to the cooperation of our entire country as one, freedom. This freedom gives us rights to do so many great things and the ability to obtain knowledge whenever one feels necessary. We have a library of congress specifically for this matter, just to tell everyone of our governments daily process and abilities. Now if we censored this our people would be ill informed as well and we could go our whole lives not knowing who wrote the imancipation proclamation because it talked abou slaves or mein kampf because it spoke of the holocaust in Germany due to Adolf Hitler. In conclusion I believe that not only should we not censor like the chinese do but to not censor at all to bring our country closer together and be stronger as one.
ReplyDeleteI think that it can go either way. If someone believes strongly that a work of art should be censored then they would be very upset if that work was kept uncensored and vice versa. However, what it boils down to is honesty. Specifically, being honest with ourselves as Americans and embracing our past for what it was would eliminate most of the controversy and speculation surrounding censorship. Censorship in China is out of control, but there is nothing we can do about it. Censoring any work of art would be against our government policies and just downright un-American.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in America, in the land of liberty and Freedom, that if the government was to begin implementing an unjust censorship policy, similiar to that of the Chinese, the general populous would surely unite to resolve the issue. Now, I'm not immediately coming to the conclusion that there would be a revolution, or an overthrowing of the government. The issue could be resolved through democratic means, but inevitably people would rise against such a corrupt policy as censorship. In my opinion, one of the best things about living in this great country is having the freedom to say, or write what you want. People have the right to disagree with you or ignore you, but they don't have the right to censor you. In conclusion, evidence shows me that the people of the United States would definitely not stand for censorship, and would fight very hard to get such a policy eliminated.
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