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MaraGiovannaMoralesGomez
ArtCensorship
ArtisBeauty
Artistshavepushedtheboundariesofwhatmaybeoffensivethroughtheirartwork,
images,andcontent.OneoftheearliestpaintingsdonebyMichelangeloin1565istheLast
Judgement.Inthepainting,theartworkdepictsthesecondcomingofChrist.DanieledaVolterra
astudentofMichelangelodecidedtocoverthefiguresnakednesswithloinclothsandveils
becausetheworkofartwasinasacredplace.Tosomepeople,Michelangelomayhavepainteda
beautifulpieceofartbuttoothersthenakednesscanbeseenasoffensive.Manycollegeand
universitycampuseswebsiteshavestartedtoestablishruleswhichpreventpeoplefromsaying
whatsontheirmind.
AttheUniversityCollegeLondonstudentunion(UCLU)theybanneda
tophitsong,RobinThicke'sBlurredLines.Duetoitslyricsandthewordchoiceuseditwas
bannedandsupportedby20otherUKstudentunions.NotonlydoesthisbantalkaboutThickes
musicitalsotakesintoaccountsomeothertophitsongsandtheirlyrics.Somestudentstake
offensetomusiclyricsthatcontainsexismandracism.Therecordcompanieshavetheabilityto
changetheproblembutitisuptothem.Howmuchinformationarewewillingtoletgoandnot
becensored,towhatpointdowestanduptomediaandsaystop,wehaveseenorheardenough.
(Lynskey.)
Manypeoplewanttocensorart,buttowhatextentdoweneedtocensorthemindofan
artist.Artiswhateveryouwantittobe:itisanexpression,opinion,imagination,andthereisa
storybehindthisculture.Artistshavealwaysviewedcensorshipasarestrictionandhowitcan
controltheirimagination,butforotherartiststheymayuseitasaguidelinetocreatetheir


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sculpturesandartwork.Mrs.Shupe,anArtHistoryprofessor,statedthatartcensorshipisnot
necessarywhenadultsareviewingithowever,itisnecessaryforcensorshiptobeinusewhena
childisviewingit.
Artismeanttocauseareactionandwhatisoffensivetoonepersonmightnotbe
offensivetoanother.(ProQuest.P.1.)Thesafetyofchildrenisareasonwhypeoplemayagree
inusingcensorship.Itisimpossibleforawebsitetotrulyknowsomeonesagebeforeallowing
themtoviewtheircontent,whichleavesyoungchildrenandteensvulnerabletoexplicitcontent.
Censorshippreventschildrenfrombeingexposedtooffensivethingslikepornographyandharsh
racism.
TheRijksMuseuminAmsterdam,Netherlandsistryingtoremoveanysortoflanguage
thatmaybeoffensiveandinsultingsuchastitles,pageheaders,anddescriptionsonalloftheir
property.Wordslike"negro,""Indian"or"dwarf,"willbereplaced.Thepointisnottouse
namesgivenbywhitestoothers.(Siegal.)Themuseumistryingtodothistoall220,000pieces
ofworkofart.Thiscanbecomeatrendofmuseumslimitinginsultingandoffensivelanguage,so
childrenareexposedtoless.Ifwecensoredmoreinformationandpreventedchildrenfrombeing
exposedtooffensivelanguagethenmaybewecouldhaveanew,stronger,andwelleducated
incominggeneration.
Thehistoryofartisfilledwithexamplesofartistswhohavecreatedworkofartbutithas
createdconflictandshockwithsomeofthepublic.GovernmentofficialsintheUnitedStates
havethreatenedtowithholdfundingfrommuseumsthatmaydisplaypossiblyoffensiveexhibits.
Theyhavehadtoenforcecensorshiplawsforpublicsafety.Therehasbeentimeswherepublic
statuesandartworkwerecoveredbysomepeopleorradicalgroupsthatfoundthemoffensive.
However,artismeanttocauseareaction.


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Ifartshouldneverbecensoredforanyreason,itshouldbeonlytothosenotoldenough
toappreciatethetruemeaningandbeautyofart.Thepublicandlegislatorshavecreatedanart
controversywhichtheycannotagreeonthemeaningofwhatartis,whatkindofartshouldbe
funded,andwhatartshouldbecensored.Theproblemisthatoneperson'sopinionscannot
determinewhatartisandifitshouldbecensored.Arthasbeenaroundforaverylongtimeand
theissuewithcensorshiphasalwaysbeenathand.Censorshipcanleadtohavingourfirst
amendmentrightsviolated,itcanpreventthespreadofknowledgeandattimesthecommunity
doesntgettolearnaboutart.
Freedomofspeechisbelievedbythemajorityofpeoplethatbynotallowingsomethings
tobesaidmaybeviolatingtheirrights.
StudentsatOxonHillHighSchoolinMarylandhadan
artdisplaythathaddesignsofthepolicearrestingandshootingyoungAfricanAmerican
children.Thisartsparkedanoutrage.Thepolicedepartmentwantedittakendownduetoits
representationofthepolice,givingtheideathatpoliceonlyattackAfricanAmericankids.This
articlealsohadgraduatedandseniorstudentscommenttowardstheissue,thattheartshouldnot
becensoredbecauseforthemitisrealityandeveryoneneedstoseeit,nothideit.Wheredoes
freedomofspeechgetlimited?(Balingit.)
Anotherbigreasonthatcensorshipisabenefit,itprotectssensitivemilitaryandother
classifiedinformationaboutthecountryfrombeingputintothewronghandsandfrompeople
whowoulduseitforharm.OneexampleisChelseaManning,hepostedclassifieddocumentson
wikileaks.Thosedocumentscontainedgovernmentinformationaboutmilitarystrategies,tactics
andmore.
WhilehewasinIraq,hefoundinformationleakedfromwarlogsabouttheIraquiand
AfghanistanconflictsaswellastheassessmentsofGuantnamoprisoners.Hefeltpeopleshould


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knowaboutwhatthemilitarywasdoinginIraq.Frompostingthisdocuments,h
ewas
dishonorablydischargedandsentencedto35yearsinprison.
Weneedtousecensorshipforthesakeandsafetyofthechildren,whentheycomeinto
contactwithoffensiveandcrudematerialitmayaffecttheirlivesgreatly.Duetohavingtoo
muchcensorshipyoungadultsandteensmayhavelackofinformationonsex,sexually
transmitteddiseases,andotherrisksthatarepresent.
Themovie,TheInterview,'acomedy
abouttheassassinationofNorthKorea'sruler,KimJongun,createdahugeconflict.Many
movietheaterswouldnotplaythemovieduetothembeingafraidofcreatingawar.Sony
Pictureswasonlyabletoplayitinacoupleofsmalltowncinemasandwhenitwassettobe
releasedthemajormoviecorporationstookdowntheheadlinesandproofthattheyhadpromoted
themovie.Weshouldbeallowedtoknowhistoryfromothercountries,andnothaveour
educationlimited.(Barnes.)
Whetheritsafascistgovernmentorareligiousorganization,itis
easyformisinterpretationofarttobetwistedandgivenadifferentpointofview.We,asa
people,needstructureandlawsbutthereisalsoaneedforfreedomtoexploreandexpress
ourselves.
Censorshiphasitsadvantagesbutitalsohasseveraldisadvantagesthatyouneedtobe
awareof.Censorshipcanleadtohavingourfirstamendmentrightsviolated,itcanpreventthe
spreadofknowledgeandattimeswedontgettolearnaboutthetruemeaningofart.Theform
andcontentofartcanbecontroversialbecauseitattractsalotofattention,passion,andfeelings
thatraisesthisissueofcensorship.Whatpeoplemaythinkneedscensorship,butitmaynotneed
tobecensoredforothers,itjustdependsonhowonedefinesart.Weneedtousecensorshipfor


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thesakeandsafetyofthechildren,toprotectsensitiveinformationandstillbeallowedtoknow
aboutart.

AnnotatedBibliography
Balingit,Moriah."UproaroverStudentArtonUseofForcebyPolice."WashingtonPost.19
Jun.2015:B.1.SIRSIssuesResearcher.Web.29Feb.2016.
StudentsatOxonHillHighSchoolinMarylandhadanartdisplaythathaddesignsofthe
policearresting,shootingyoungblackkids.Thiscreatedaproblem,thepolice
departmentwanteditdownduetoitshowingthatthepoliceisbad,alsothatthepolice
onlyattackorgoafteryoungblackkids.Thisarticlealsohadsomegraduatedandsenior
studentscommentstowardstheissue,thattheartshouldnotbecensoredbecausefor
themitisrealityandeveryoneneedstoseeit,nothideit.
Barnes,Brooks,andMichaelCieply."InAboutFace,SonyWillShowFilminDispute."New
YorkTimes.24Dec.2014:A.1.SIRSIssuesResearcher.Web.29Feb.2016.
Thisarticletalksaboutthemovie,TheInterview,'acomedyabouttheassassinationof
NorthKorea'sruler,KimJongun,hadcreatedahugeconflictthatmanyofthemovie
theaterswouldnotplaythemovieduetothembeingafraidthatitcouldcreateawar.
SonyPictureswasonlyabletoplayitinacoupleofsmalltowncinemasandwhenitwas
settobereleasedthemajormoviecorporationstookdowntheheadlinesandproofthat
theyhadpromotedthemovie.
EllisPetersen,Hannah."RadicalisationPlayCancelledbyTheatreAfterConcernsAbout..."The
Guardian.04Sep.2015:8.SIRSIssuesResearcher.Web.29Feb.2016.


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AcontroversialplayaboutradicalisationofyoungMuslimswascancelledbythe
NationalYouthTheatre,becausethedirectordidnotagreewithwhatwasgoingoninthe
play.ThisarticletalksaboutthecancellationoftheplayandwhattheNationalYouth
Theatredidtomakesurethattheyplaydidnotgoon.Theywantedthingscensoredsince
theythoughtthatitwouldruintheirnameandreputationifthepublicwheretoseethe
play.
Fitzpatrick,James,NormanRosenthal,andJakeChapman.ArtCensorship.
RSAJournal
149.5502(2002):5356.Web.29Feb.2016
ThisjournalisabouttheoverviewofwhatArtCensorshipingeneralis,italsotalksabout
arthistoryandhowthatartnotonlyimpactedtheartistsbutalsothepublic,thatattimes
itbroughtthecommunitytogether.Artisnotonlyforthewealthytoenjoyandspend
theremoneyonitisalsoforthegeneralpublicforthemtogetinspirationandaspireto
usetheircreativityaswell.
Lynskey,Dorian."What'sWrongwithBeingSexy?."TheGuardian.14Nov.2013:4.SIRS
IssuesResearcher.Web.29Feb.2016.
AttheUniversityCollegeLondonstudentunion(UCLU)theybannedatophitsong,
RobinThicke'sBlurredLines.Duetoitslyricsandthewordchoicebeingsaiditwas
bannedandsupportby20otherUKstudentunions.Notonlydoesthisstyletalkabout
Thickesmusicitalsotakesintoaccountsomeothertophitsongsandtherelyrics.He
explainsthatsomestudenttakeoffensetosomemusiclyricsthattheycontainsexismand
racism.Buthestatesthatonlythemusiccompanycanchangetheproblemandthatitis
uptothem.


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MORAWSKI,STEFAN.CENSORSHIPVERSUSART,PROSANDCONS:
TYPOLOGICALREFLECTIONS.
ThePolishReview
19.1(1974):316.Web.29Feb.
2016
Thisarticletalksabouttheprosandconsofhowcensorshipaffectstheartandatwhat
timesitmaybealrighttoplacerestrictionsandatwhattimesweshouldbeliberal.Ittalks
aboutwhatcensorshipisandhowitmaytieintoart.Itpointsofdifferentviewsandstates
examplesforbothsides.Shouldallartbecensorediswhatthemaintopicofthearticleis
anduntilwhatpointdoesitneedtobecensored.
ProQuestStaff."AtIssue:ArtsCensorship."ProQuestLLC.2016:n.pag.SIRSIssues
Researcher.Web.29Feb.2016.
ThisarticletellsusaboutArtsCensorshipandthatmostofthetimetherearetwopoints
ofview.Somepeoplebelievethatitshouldbecensoredbecauseitmayoffendsomeone
andothersthinkthatitshouldnotbecensoredbecauseartisliteratureandpartof
imagination,whohastherighttosaywhatshouldbeconsideredasart.Everyonehasa
differentperspectiveaboutartandwhatshouldbeconsideredasart.
Siegal,Nina."RijksmuseumIsErasingRaciallyOffensiveLanguage."InternationalNewYork
Times.11Dec.2015:6.SIRSIssuesResearcher.Web.29Feb.2016.
TheRijksmuseumwhichisinAmsterdam,Netherlandsistryingtoremoveanysortof
languagethatmaybeoffensiveandinsultingtitles,pageheadersanddescriptionsonall
oftheirproperty.Whichtheyaretryingtodotoallthere220,000piecesofworkandart.
ThisarticletalksabouthowtheRijksmuseumdiscussestheprocessonhowtheyare
tryingtoremovethatoffensivelanguage.


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Taneja,Preti."ShouldShakespeareBeCensored?."WashingtonPostBlogs.05Mar.2015:n.p.
SIRSIssuesResearcher.Web.29Feb.2016.
"Shakespeare'splayscontainantiSemitism,racismandsexism,sexualabuseand
violencetheymagnifythetenoroftheirage.(WashingtonPostBlogs)Thisarticle
explainsthatShakespeare'splaysshouldbecensoredduetowhatsomemaythinkis
artistictheater,othersmaybetakenbackandoffendbythewayShakespearewrotehis
plays.ThereisalsomultipletheateractorsthatduenotagreewithShakespeareliterature
andtheystatetheirreasons.
Tapley,Erin.ScrutinizedArt:TheManyFacesofVisualArtCensorship.
ArtEducation
55.6
(2002):4852.Web.29Feb.2016
ThisjournalisabouttheoverviewofwhatVisualArtCensorshipingeneralisandhow
politicsandmediaaffectthewaypeoplesheart.Fromwritingtovisualaidestographic
picturesartislookedatthroughdifferenteyeseverytime.Justlikeitssaidoverandover
whatsomeonemayconsiderasarttoanothertheymaytakeoffense.