Internet Censorship

The FCC and government put little to no censorship on websites or on the internet at all.

“Private Internet connections in the United States are not subject to technical censorship, such as content-control software imposed by the government. However, private businesses, schools, libraries, and government offices may use filtering software at their discretion, although in such cases courts have ruled the use of such software is not censorship.”

Cite: http://www.censorshipinamerica.com/p/history-of-censorship-in-usa.html

However, there have been monitored Google or web searches for key words but that is for national security.

Broadcast Censorship

The FCC and congress increased the maximum fine for violations since the Super Bowl XXXVIII incident.

“The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy increased the political pressure on the FCC to vigorously police the airwaves. In addition, Congress increased the maximum fine the FCC may levy from US $268,500 to US $375,000 per incident.”

Cite: http://www.censorshipinamerica.com/p/history-of-censorship-in-usa.html

With the FCC and congress increased the maximum fine for violations shows that the FCC is trying to make it more expensive for people when they break the FCC’s law.

“…The FCC Won’t Let Me Be…” Eminem Song

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable (fcc.gov). Basically they determine what can and can’t be said or showed on TV and radio.

In the following post I am going to state against censorship and how the government should stay out of censoring works of any kind, such as music, pictures, art… etc. In the song by Eminem titled “Without Me”. Eminem states that the FCC won’t let him express himself in the way he wants to be expressed.

“…So the F-C-C won’t let me be
Or let me be me so let me see
They tried to shut me down on M-T-V
But it feels so empty without me….”

This is an example of how censorship from specifically the FCC is getting in the way and limiting creativity, because with censorship it is very difficult to should nude works of art.

Westboro Baptist Church and free speech

In an article from nydailynews.com on March 3, 2011 Sarah Palin (the former republican Alaska governor) spoke out against the Supreme Court’s ruling. The Supreme Court ruled that the Westboro Baptist Church is in their constitutional rights to protest at fallen military heroes’ funerals. Sarah Palin tweeted that:

“Common sense & decency absent as wacko ‘church’ allowed hate msgs spewed@ soldiers’ funerals but we can’t invoke God’s name in public square.”

Cite: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sarah-palin-rips-supreme-court-decision-westboro-baptist-church-lacks-common-sense-article-1.116993

Now, I do not agree with the Westboro Baptist Church and think what they say and stand for is repulsive; I have to agree with the supreme court’s ruling that the Westboro Baptist Church is allowed to protest at military funerals, because in the constitution the very first amendment is the freedom of speech.

What I am saying is that sometimes we want to take these rights away from certain people or groups of people; but who are we to make the decision of what is right and or wrong about what others’ say.