Should Art Be Censored?

981 Words2 Pages

Should Art Be Censored?
What if I told you that many artists around the world, including America, are being tormented and silenced for their freedom of expression? It sounds a little strange to think that in the twenty-first century a human can still be suppressed from expressing itself however it wants. A slender yet plentiful amount of artists to this day feel like they are left in the pouring rain when everyone is protected by the government’s umbrella of freedom of speech. Art whether we know it or not is found all around us. In the music we hear, in the poetry and books we read, and even the revolutions we read from history books taught in school. All and more is art and by censoring art we would take away the public’s right to express themselves which is needed in a democratic world (Because Freedom Can’t).
By definition censoring is suppressing any parts that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security (oxford dictionaries) but who is it to say what is acceptable? The National Art Education Association has made it clear that “the individual has the right to accept or reject any work of art for himself or herself personally but does not have the right to suppress those works of art…with whom he or she does not agree.” By censoring forms of art not only do we take basic civil rights away but reduce diversity among society. In a democratic country like ourselves, we have the first amendment of the constitution to protect us but that isn’t entirely valid. Like many rules there are always hidden holes that the public does not see; exceptions that cannot and should not be tolerated. Pro-censorship forces for example, often conduct scientific research to make them seem official to appeal to the au...

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