Defending the First Amendment since 1911 | The independent student newspaper of Texas State University

Censorship should not be looked at as taking away an individuals rights, but rather empowering someone to make appropriate choices while benefiting the masses.

Without censorship affecting the type of programs that can be aired at certain times, parents would have to be hyper-vigilant about allowing their children to watch television. Without this kind of censorship, young children would likely be exposed to sexual and violent content regularly.

If adults wish to watch this kind of content, it is as easy as turning on the TV late at night or renting other titles they want to watch instead. Censoring content at certain times of the day and night protects children while posing only a minor inconvenience to adult viewers.

Censorship is too often looked at in negative light. By limiting explicit material on television, this gives adults more control of the entertainment they or their children are exposed to. It also ensures those who are triggered by questionable content will not accidentally stumble upon something that could have a negative impact on them.

Censorship does not take away peoples freedoms. Film and television ratings provide parents a quick and accessible way to review the type of content they and their kids consume. If parents do not care about the content their children consume, such media is readily available.

Of course, people may argue bleeping out adult language from a movie shown on television ruins its integrity. However, this is untrue because it is relatively easy for adults to still understand the original words that are being bleeped out, and it is beneficial to kids because they may not understand and be exposed to the profanity.

If television was not censored and films were not rated, it could be difficult for families to find suitable content for their children to watch. Mild media censorship is important in helping parents keep their children from being exposed to questionable material.

Censorship in a democratic society should never be tolerated.

Censorship in essence deems one thing as right while another is wrongsomething which is subjective and constantly up for debate. What is deemed obscene or inappropriate by some may be the complete antithesis to another. Laws regulating subjective ideas like obscenity and inappropriateness should not exist.

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Defending the First Amendment since 1911 | The independent student newspaper of Texas State University