Marco Moreno

Ms.saravia (period 3)

12/9/16

English11

Music and art, we listen and see this everyday of our lives, we wouldnt want anyone

to take it away or change it, but they do. Censorship, its all around us and we notice but nobody

says anything about it they just accept it, with things being censored we can hear the message

the artist gives and we cant see what the art is trying to reveal.

Listening to our favorite songs and being able to see art is both amazing and great to

see. Music has to do with hearing melodies and tunes while relaxing, not taking out parts of a

song and ruin it. Art and drawings make us think what the painting means and to tell us the

background and why was it drawn, there's always a reason why an artist paints what he paints.

People have been taking both of these away by censoring them until its not what the artist

intended. If someone were to take something away from you, you wouldnt want that, that is

what censorship does.

Music and art has impact everyone in their lifetime, it can make someone and or

appreciate the lyrics of a song. Art helps people see the past in a painting and let them ponder

over what it means and adore the painting.

Censorship has been historically, and always will be censored for morality. Censorship

began to happen more after and during the 1950s, mainly because the radio was being used

more in 1952 because that was when radio FM was invented(Berkowitz). Radio let people listen

to any music they desired while listening to it whenever and wherever they wanted.In the

1950s, radio provided access to new types of music that challenged traditional morality and

created the dynamics for music censorship(Hall). Technology played a big factor in the 1950s,
and being able to listen to anything now that the radio was invented, caught a lot of peoples

eyes, especially the government.

Art has been censored since art was invented, people believe some art not all art,

should not even be put up in public. Usually because its offensive to a race or because it

shows nudity. For example, the Bacchante and Infant Faun made by Frederick W.

MacMonnies, an art installed in a boston public library, made in the 19th century, but most recently,

actually displayed in 2015(Treiber). Shows a statue that depicts a nude Roman wine deity holding a

child. One of the oldest paintings that have been censored was in 1508 the last judgement by

michelangelo. This art depicts naked images, which was usually seen as amazing art in the right set

of eyes, but since it was placed in a chapel, not many likes it much. Later on when he died his pupil

added clothes on the artwork(Frank).

Usually the medias involved were those of the people giving their opinions later on depicting

of the news. Later made in a controversial issue on the internet, sometimes great controversies of

music or an art piece would be shown on tv, for example, MTV talk a lot about censorship of music,

especially rap.

The history of art and music censorship dates back to the 1500s and many more have

been censored for trivial things, but nonetheless censored. I believe it shouldnt be and

hopefully it wont be in the future.

Some people believe that a lot of music and art should be censored for the protection of

what people hear and see, especially the youth, which can be true.

In 1927, the United States of Americas congress enacted the Radio act in 1927, this

allowed the government to control everything that was being broadcasted, this is still used

today. Then in 1934, congress created the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC), this

monitors the international communication through radio, Tv, etc (Storr). For example, on ed

sullivans show, the Rolling stones changed on lyric of the song from lets spend the night

together to lets spend some time together(jones).

 The same censorship happens with art too, but instead of what people hear, its what

they see. In 1565, Michelangelo was criticised for the nudity one his paintings had the last

judgment. This shows why art should be censored because of the nudity, especially as stated

here in the presence of god. If you were to draw this somewhere else, maybe you and others

can appreciate it, but in the presence of god and in a chapel, not the best place. The painting

can also be to realistic to see sometimes, like in the olympia, Edouard Manet drew this

drawing and his viewers did not seem to be pleased because it was to realistic(Rogers).

Sometimes art just has to not show everything the artist wants to see in order for him to release

it to the public.

So if art shows nudity it can be fine in front of an audience that came to see great

artworks and knows the meaning to it, but if put in just public where youth can see it or

somewhere holy, thats when it crosses the line. Music is the same, censoring can sometimes

be good for the youth, to conceal them from what the artists are saying, especially in rap songs.

In the 1980s was when rap started coming up, this music was portrayed images of guns and

violence(Giovacchini).

Although their are some reasons why art and music shouldnt be censored, there's a lot

of evidence why people do it and why it is done. It is done mainly to protect people from hearing

or seeing these songs or art pieces.

People say that controversial issues challenge people individually thinking and just in

general a good thing to debate about. Especially about art and music, if music is censored it

wouldnt challenge the minds of the youth and adults. Art makes people think about whats

behind the actual painting.

Music and art have the same problems of censorship. Music expresses their freedom of

speech of the artists music and if the government takes that away from them, than their is no

freedom of speech whatsoever.

Music can be very controversial and an answer has not been confirmed whether or not
music should be censored. When this topic comes up, the usual top that comes up is if it takes

away your freedom of speech. A study shows that 40% of people have agreed that musicians

should not make songs that people might find offensive(Patman). This shows more people want

to have music not changed and think censorship isnt needed.Once you allow the government

to censor someone else, you cede to it the the power to censor you, or something you

like(ACLU). The right to speak freely is given to everyone, even if it is offensive. Only when it is

intended obviously to hurt a certain audience. For example, if a song is offensive to a certain

race or ethnicity.

Paintings have been a big target of censorship in nude art paintings or anything

inappropriate. Usually paintings that don't show inappropriate things, but have secret messages

in them for anyone to figure out. A painting of the classical statue of Venus de Milo was removed

from a store because the managers of the shopping mall found its semi-nudity "too

shocking"(ACLU).

I believe that censoring everything that the CDA or FCC censor isn't the resolution to

keeping the youth away from it. Theyll find a way to see the original, especially now that

everything is open for everyone to see on the internet.

Even though people believe censorship is needed for the youth and can be very harmful

in some situations. It helps everyone with their own problems, taking it away or changing it, only

makes people frustrated over why people do it.

Music and art is very important and always will be, music influences people by changing

their moods into happiness when hearing a song they like. Paintings are what show us history,

present or future. It affects everyone whether they know it or not. Just by looking at a painting

drawn by someone famous and thinking this was given thought, shows how much time and

effort they put into it. Music has made people who they are, listening to a certain type of music

influences what you want to be, makes you happy being able to listen to your favorite song.

Censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself(stewart), and i agree with this quote.
Censorship is only here because of a few bad things that happen here and there. If given the

chance without censorship, trust would be restored and people would be more careful to what

they put out in a song or in an art piece.

It has to stop, censorship is not good for people and won't be in the future, i have given

facts and reasons why it should stop. We need to stand up and fight for our freedom of speech

and freedom of expression. This is what our founding fathers wanted for our country, we can't let

them take it away.

Works cited

Profanity in Music: Should it be Censored? Student media, june 27, 2013

Music Censorship R. Andre Hall, Journalism '09

The History of Car RadiosJustin Berkowitz, oct 2010

The Censorship of Nudity in Western Visual Art Carl Trieber, November 30, 2015

Culture shock pbs, december 14

FREE SPEECH AND MUSIC Ken Paulson, december 14

Art censorship merriam webster, Jan 16, 2015

The Negative Influence of Gangster Rap And What Can Be Done About It Anthony M.
Giovacchini, june 4, 1999