The New Censorship?

[The idea]

Provided that no powerful government authority in the USA pushes for banning PG-13 horror movies as part of the war on terror, do you personally have a problem with the enforcement of some degree of civility on the public airwaves? How about individuals loudly and continuously shouting obscenities near museums and public libraries? Are they merely exercising their rights as responsible, adult voters/citizens in a democratic, constitutional republic?

[Nigel]

As a parent of both a teenager and a kindergartner, I have a responsibility to protect my children from certain types of language/violence. I've let my teenager see certain R rated movies of which I approve (the first being Run Lola Run, because she enjoyed movies as a whole, and I so thoroughly enjoyed it, I hoped to teach her some of what little I know about cinema). However, on the whole, my attitude is there are things that are appropriate for children, and things that are not. "Adult" entertainment is not. That does not mean adults should not see it. (I know, the definition of "adult" entertainment, at least as it pertains to television, is changing - that's where the individual decision comes in to play.)

To get back to the point of your question, I'd be concerned if someone shouted obscenities in public, if for no other reason than I would consider that person to be irrational, and possibly dangerous (not necessarily a terrorist, or a suicide bomber, but perhaps just nuts enough to throw a punch if I looked at him/her wrong).

If someone is expressing their opinion publicly, I say they have the right. But not necessarily to disturb the peace or incite a riot. The level of shouting in that case disturbs me more than what is being said.

Nigel

[Brian]

Originally posted by The idea
Provided that no powerful government authority in the USA pushes for banning PG-13 horror movies as part of the war on terror, do you personally have a problem with the enforcement of some degree of civility on the public airwaves? How about individuals loudly and continuously shouting obscenities near museums and public libraries? Are they merely exercising their rights as responsible, adult voters/citizens in a democratic, constitutional republic?
I have a problem with it. What's civil to me could be obscene to someone else.
As for yelling a screaming in public, there's already a law against that. Museum or not.
Freaks screaming in the street don't have a volume control knob or an on/off button like a radio does.

I think it comes down to my freedom to hear caca jokes if I want to, and anothers freedom from hearing caca jokes.
I also think some people just object to the very existence of that kind of stuff. It's immoral, or debased, or they never talked like that in my day, ect.
Those people can go feltch a goat.

[gnome]

The problem I have is that the federal government is currently establishing an FBI task force to attack the problem aggressively...

There were already measures in place--has the problem truly gotten so much worse we need to expend more law enforcement resources on it?

Not to mention--the public is already taking a turn towards the conservative when it comes to entertainment... and that will have FAR more impact than any enforcement effort.

[Outcast]

I don't have a problem with them cleaning up the airwaves.