Censorship

[Snowytoshi]

So what is everyone's opinion on censorship in general? Not just our friendly little s, but also banned books or other things.

 

I personally think that it's wrong and if someone's parents didn't want them to read a book they could deal with that personally. I don't think everything needs to be a public issue. Not to mention some books that are banned/challenged:

 

Where's Waldo?

Junie B. Jones

James and the Giant Peach

etc.

 

I don't really see a reason for Where's Waldo to be banned, certainly not James and the Giant Peach. I purposely didn't put any books that were censored because of magic on the list, as I know there are people with different religions. If you choose to post in this thread I'd like for you to not try to force your religion upon others and/or tell them they're going to he'll. No one appreciates that and I'll report anyone who does. We're all capable of being mature so let's just keep any debates calm! Thank you

[Cori]

Where's Waldo got banned from some schools because there was a drawing of a nude woman hidden in one of the pages. I'm not sure why Junie B. Jones or James and the Giant Peach would be banned; they were still in schools when I was in my elementary years. That was a long time ago.

[Switch]

Where's Waldo got banned from some schools because there was a drawing of a nude woman hidden in one of the pages. I'm not sure why Junie B. Jones or James and the Giant Peach would be banned; they were still in schools when I was in my elementary years. That was a long time ago.

That's what I was wondering. I read Junie B. Jones back when I was little, and our teacher read them to us in school sometimes, so what exactly is the problem? o.o I never read the other book though.

[Amberfly]

I never heard of James and the Giant Peach being banned, and can't remember reading anything in it that might have led to that. Same for Junie B. Jones, though I only read a couple of those. Does anyone know why people took issue with those?

[epicguy10000]

I just did a quick google

 

Junie B. Jones had bad grammar or something, I just skimmed

 

James was "supposedly" teaching disobeiedience and drugs

[Switch]

I just did a quick google

 

Junie B. Jones had bad grammar or something, I just skimmed

 

James was "supposedly" teaching disobeiedience and drugs

Bad grammar, really? I think the main character had bad grammar, and some of her classmates, but if I remember correctly they were kindergarteners.. that sounds kind of weird.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Switch

[Amberfly]

Yeah, I googled it too, looks like James also had something to do with magic being part of the plot. Weird.

[epicguy10000]

Yeah, I googled it too, looks like James also had something to do with magic being part of the plot. Weird.

That's also why Harry Potter was banned, people thought it would encourage witchcraft

[Amberfly]

That's also why Harry Potter was banned, people thought it would encourage witchcraft

Yeah, I know. I did a school report on banned books a few years ago, and that was part of my research. Needless to say, I'm against banning books.

[Syaoransbear]

I like censorship on TV shows because it makes them funnier.

[epicguy10000]

I like censorship on TV shows because it makes them funnier.

It is pretty funny

 

I was watching Alien V.S Predator and near the end the lady was like "I hope it kills all those whitewhitewhitewhitewhite" Her mouth was still moving but no words were coming out

 

made me chuckle

Edited September 10, 2012 by penguin_adu6oo

[Amberfly]

I agree on TV censorship. It's particularly funny when they try to dub in some other word or phrase and their lips don't match what they're saying.

[TwilitProphet]

Just the other day, I was watching Shrek on Cartoon Network. It was the scene where "Bad Reputation" plays while Shrek fights in Duloc.

 

The lyrics: I don't give a *LOUD CRASHING SOUND* about my reputation!!

 

I have no idea why, but I couldn't stop laughing.

[epicguy10000]

Oh on the radio one time there was a song and I'm not joking this is almost EXACTLY how it went

 

"Cuz I'm a crazy son of a BAD WORD"

 

They actually said bad word in the song

 

T'was funny

[Lady Artemis]

Oh, that one movie (I forget what it's called) where there're these guys sitting around a campfire eating beans, and instead of fart noises, the TV censored version had cow moo's.

[Amberfly]

Oh on the radio one time there was a song and I'm not joking this is almost EXACTLY how it went

 

"Cuz I'm a crazy son of a BAD WORD"

 

They actually said bad word in the song

 

T'was funny

I know that song, it's by a country duo called Big & Rich. And yes, they did record it that way on the album. It wasn't radio censorship. They really do swear in some of their other songs.

[Wookieinmashoo]

I tend to hate censorship really. I don't care how awful the show/movie/song is I still consider it a form of art. If it has content not suitable for children, just show it later at night...which is pretty much what's already done with some things.

 

Even today I heard (still trying to find cats or links) that a certain animated movie had to be completely altered because it starred a same sex couple, which would be "unfit" for children. Allegedly. Still trying to work on finding information on this.

[Gsea]

I don't see the point of censorship on some things (like, erm, certain images I have had the misfortune of seeing on the covers of magazines, mostly in movies,...and like when a TV show bleeps out one word but leaves the first syllable or consonant and last syllable or consonant so you still know exactly what they are saying) because you know what they're censoring, it's hard not to know, so why does it matter that they censor that one small portion of speech, images, etc. out? It's still quite obviously there and the rest of the offensive material surrounding it is there.

 

For other things, like banning movies and books, I think it's just dumb. Certain graphic movies are banned in some countries...if it's really that bad then people can just not watch it. Riiiight? It's not like someone is going to watch a movie called "The Horribly Bloody Disturbing Things That Happened Sometime" and then blame the country for not banning it...an example being The Human Centipede 2, which I know is banned in some countries. Just..seriously? Have your own discretion, don't be an idiot and watch it if you know you shouldn't.

 

I don't really approve of censorship, I suppose.

[Cori]

Censorship of books is terrible. I heard some places have banned Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird, among others. Because they had offensive content.

 

They're classic books and I'm angry to see them banned. They're meant to teach a lesson about said offensive content and to offer insight into how people thought and treated each other all those years ago. I don't think they should be censored or banned.

 

I also don't approve of video game censorship. People get up in arms about children playing violent video games and learning raunchy language from them, but that's not the game's fault. They have rating systems. It's a parent's responsibility to know what kind of games their child is playing and lay down the laws of the house as to what they're permitted to play. The government doesn't need to step in and intervene FOR them.

[Snowytoshi]

Here's the top 100 list of banned/challenged books (some of them may surprise you):

 

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequen...ecade/2000_2009

[Fuzzbucket]

If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. Were an opinion a personal possession of no value except to the owner; if to be obstructed in the enjoyment of it were simply a private injury, it would make some difference whether the injury was inflicted only on a few persons or on many. But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.

 

— On Liberty, John Stuart Mill

 

RIGHT ON.

[Wookieinmashoo]

Here's the top 100 list of banned/challenged books (some of them may surprise you):

 

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequen...ecade/2000_2009

It's pretty sad when the fourth book on that list is a children's picture book about penguins.

 

Also stores are technically supposed to look for some form of ID for mature rated games, but no one ever does. I think it should be an enforced policy, but that would cause the decline of sales.

[Fuzzbucket]

It's pretty sad when the fourth book on that list is a children's picture book about penguins.

What about one encouraging children to DRAW:

 

Draw me a star

 

Words fail me.

 

Oh wait. That penguin one has two BOY penguins trying to hatch a stone.

 

OMG how tooo TOOOOOO shocking

Edited September 10, 2012 by fuzzbucket

[PointOfOrigin]

I always took Harry Potter books in my school library for granted. But after hearing for quite some time about censorship in other countries I'm really grateful for living in my country. Despite the country being 90% catholic nobody ever even suggested it and I hope it stays that way.

 

I also find it pointless to put His Dark Materials on the list. Persons who can understand the subtext are already mature enough to read it and form their own opinion on the mater.

 

It's really sad when books like can help you to grow as a more diverse, understanding and better educated person are banned, while modern YA literature that is overflowing with rape subculture can be read everywhere.

 

In short. No to censorship. People should be able to read/ watch / listen to / play what they are capable of handling and understanding. If you have to censor then at least censor the right books and not the ones that are capable of making you think about problems in this world.

Edited September 10, 2012 by PointOfOrigin

[Isuzu]

Here's the top 100 list of banned/challenged books (some of them may surprise you):

 

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequen...ecade/2000_2009

Wow, I'm genuinely surprised by this list. A few of those books are considered classics and people ban them? That just feels...wrong.

 

I generally don't agree with censorship. Especially when on tv they censor only part of the word, so you still know exactly what they're saying. I mean seriously, what's the purpose? And in books it's flat out wrong.

Sure, it's useful for shows like Mythbusters when one of them started saying the ingredients for a bomb out loud. But then again that scene could've been cut out entirely. Not that I really mind since their censor sounds amuse me to no end.

 

Even today I heard (still trying to find cats or links) that a certain animated movie had to be completely altered because it starred a same sex couple, which would be "unfit" for children. Allegedly. Still trying to work on finding information on this.

One big popular animated show that comes to mind with this is Sailor Moon. In one of the early arcs two male villains were implied to be romantically involved, yet the USA dub made one of them female just to make the couple straight. Also, two of the Sailors were made cousins just to hide the fact that they were together.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Isuzu