Keshicus 2008-10-06 23:36:58

You're absolutely right about censorship in america, the problem is that people make a choice to actually bitch about freedom of speech (i.e. swearing and other offensives) and start flinging lawsuits left and right. It becomes a big mess because we have bunch of fuckballs with thumbs up their asses going anal about words because they want to make a "significant difference." In a way its a scam for the FCC to make money and make stupid people feel better about themselves.
If people get offended from what I say I tell them if they don't like it, lick it.

NextToNothing 2008-10-06 23:50:44

~First Amendment~
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
~You~
"Free Speech is basically the right to say what you wish, so long as it doesn't offend"

Where's the doesn't offend clause in the first amendment? The courts have (twice) ruled that speech that demonstrates a 'clear and present danger' can be grounds for a conviction. But you have gone a step farther, branching into the world of offenses.

In Miller V California it was ruled "if it [some displayed material i.e television show] would be found appealing to the prurient interest by an average person applying contemporary community standards, depicts sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and has no serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value." Basically if it's offensive yet doesn't add anything to the community in a significant way it can be censored.

You're whole argument is contradictory in that you say, so long as it doesn't offend you're free to say whatever you want, that's FAR more conservative than what the court has ruled to allowed to be censored (you failed to mention any exceptions to that rule such as artistic political or scientific value). Under the first true sentence of your argument, what I'm hesitant to call your thesis, speech would be inhibited in such an unbelievable way. You think Charles Darwin's papers would have been published with the "so long as it doesn't offend" clause attached to freedom of speech, of course not. Catholics would never have allowed it. Do you think any political comedians would exist, how bout ANY form of race joke (i.e Carlos Mencia). No. How about anything depicting homosexuality in anyway shape or form on T.V. Keep dreaming.

Essentially you're calling the American youth pussies for allowing something YOU support outright and from your language WANT to push a step farther. So YOU my friend, are the pussy, YOU are supporting more censorship than already takes place at this point in time. It is really necessary for that whole argument to be restructured for it to have any validity.

Seeing as I am for a lack of censorship in any form it's kinda gross how uneducated someone can be on a subject, and rather than simply googling some of the controversy of the first amendment and clicking on wikipedia, they outright spew incorrect information. And if you're going to blame something blame the courts not the FCC, if the supreme court ruled it unconstitutional for any censorship to take place on television the FCC (in theory) couldn't enforce it. Come on man.

HolyPeanuts 2008-10-06 23:55:17

Lets hope that the new season doesn't suck a pile of big fat dick like the last one.

Ryanimate 2008-10-07 00:03:43

holy crap if that happens south park will be ruined!!!!! O.O

Ryanimate 2008-10-07 00:04:32

i didn't mean the comment above me i meant if they sensor tv

AlexPerson 2008-10-07 00:08:52

people just get too uppity about things, you know?

SuperSmurf 2008-10-07 00:23:13

Although I personally don't like the FCC, they are just doing their job. Alot of people get seriously offended by the tiniest thing so they have to censor TV. I don't mind it too much, except when I listen to stand up and hear so many bleeps that I can't understand what their saying.
Side note: The FCC is in fact Matt Stone and Trey Parker's bitch

imjeffhip 2008-10-07 00:52:58

oh shit new south park? i didn't know it was so soon, badass!

Galazor 2008-10-07 01:26:49

On the flip side if you have TOO MUCH freedom then you have anarchy. Oh and another thing: the dominant society will only allow speech/ communication that they're willing to hear or the people in charge of the weapons are willing to let be said (examples: Galileo and Socrates).

Freedom has ALWAYS been an illusion to make us feel good about ourselves, but absolute freedom leads very easily to anarchy, so society, trying to feel good about itself, omits what it doesn't want to hear because they don't like conflict (sueing, riots, wars and so on), and absolute free-speech can get into slander which can ruin people's lives.

Sure censorship of opinions is bad (by our society's definition), but fear of conflict, or fear period, is one of humanity's driving forces, how the hell do you think we can go against that? I mean sure courage works sometimes, but how do we go against human nature, and if you're a Calvinist, then oh wow you're boned, because now you might go as far as to say that humans might transcend fear entirely, and then a bunch of drugged-up cultists will show up to your door step looking for answers you may or may not have.

Anyways, I get what you're saying, but let's face it, people are lazy and scared these days, they want to feel good about themselves and they are afraid of conflicts so they'll be motivated accordingly.

Terrabain 2008-10-07 01:33:40

When has the US ever truly been 'land of the free', though?

FrozenFire 2008-10-07 01:55:48

I love being a young American, and I can't wait to fly to school because we are on the brink of flying cars. Oh yeah and Obama is going to rule the world, I can't wait until he personally seeks out his enemies and strangles them with his 4 ft tongue.

LAND OF THE FREE MO'FUCKA.

Also yeah, south park. Sweet.

BlinkMarine 2008-10-07 12:55:15

emos?

Mark618 2008-10-07 13:46:23

man, free speech is just a gimmick. nothing that the constitution upholds is being recognized today.

JimGrim2 2008-10-07 14:57:17

Meh.

DeadEmu 2008-10-07 15:27:36

eh I'm American, i hate america, it blows half the people are retards. just don't say all Americans are retards, just a VERY large amount is

rtil 2008-10-07 15:31:51

no - free speech gives you the right to say whatever you want, period. you could go around shouting profanities if you want to risk getting arrested for disturbing the public order, but it's still your right to say them and that's not what you'll be arrested for.

our freedoms have been slowly stripped from us as powerful lobbyists groups who believe people need to be filter feeded specific censored content in order to live full and morally just lives and the belief that we need to give up liberty for security dominate the government.

rant about it all you want, but that's not going to get anthing done. from your local offices to the congress to the white house, it's up to you as a voter to choose candidates who promote freedom and the constitution. there's no more room in america for oversensitive new-age progressives who want to shove their feelings and their beliefs down other people's throats.

don't want your kids watching adult television? take care of your damn kids and don't put them in front of a TV as replacement for your mediocre parenting. don't like a show on the airwaves? don't listen to it. don't like what your neighbors do in their private lives? it's not hurting you, you're only pretending it does.

what people really need to wake up to is the fact that in order to have our freedoms we must respect other's freedoms. and because of most people's flock mentality, they'll believe most of whatever they hear from those in higher offices. that makes it our duty to elect the right people.

the FCC isn't going to listen to its detractors. but politicians sure will - because they depend on YOU keeping them in office.

Wiiporter 2008-10-07 15:34:20

south park is still around and it's the most offensive show on american television.

HolyPeanuts 2008-11-12 23:16:49

How are you liking this season of South Park?

Its making me sad. =(

HiSign 2012-08-16 00:37:49

Screw america