Freedom of speech

[gerbie]

Freedom of speech

In several discussions I have heard Americans referring to their own country as 'the best country in the world'. "At least we can give our opinion whatever happens. Freedom of speech is in our constitution", were points that were brought up more than once.

How true is this? Soon after the twin towers collapsed a list of 150 songs was distributed amongst radio stations. These songs were inappropriate apparently. And rightly so in some cases. It isn't difficult to know why people wouldn't want to hear AC/DC singing about a Highway to hell. Even Aeroplane by the RHCP and Learning to fly by Pink Floyd, even though fairly innocent songs, were on the list. Not strange either. But who decided that John Lennon's Imagine had to be on that list? Why is one of the best songs in history banned from radio stations? Could it be that the government didn't want the people to think about "all the people living life in peace"? Could it be that Bush didn't want "the world will be as one", happening sometime soon? Am I cynical if I think that by putting Lennon on the black list the real agenda of the government becomes clear.

Only a couple of days later I heard a story about the Voice of America that couldn't air an interview with one of the leaders of Afghanistan. "The people don't want to hear things like this in times like this", or something a long that way was the argument to ban the interview.

Wouldn't it be against the American constitution to ban it? What happened to freedom of speech?

Comments

[the-dibbler.livejournal.com]

Clear Channel (radio station owners galore) issued a statement that the list of 150 "banned" songs was an urban legend so to speak. There is no such list. Local stations owned by Clear Channel (who supposedly issued the list) have been playing those songs.

Don't take everything you read forgranted. research it. then research it some more.

american sock

'The List'

[olivethomas.livejournal.com]

This supposed list was actually the result of station managers at Clear Channels owned stations confering with each other about what songs would probably not be a good idea to play in light of the tragedy. Given the number of people making suggestions a few odd choices come up. Some song considered 'cheerful' and 'upbeat' were added - some at listener's suggestion - because they might not fit in during a time of mourning. No-one was obligated to 'obey the list' and many didn't.

In that context one can a imagine a song about world peace and no countries or religion might make the 'opt not to play-list'. In the soundtrack of life playing 'Imagine' while scenes of unbelievable tragedy are still on TV comes off as bitter irony.

[invisiblechild.livejournal.com]

hmmm..No comment on that...

BUT...ok, what happened WAS horrible. Yes. Okay.

I'm just saying this...but somebody attacks THE United States..a lot of innocent people die. Which is horrible, totally. I've lived in that country for god's sake and have a lot of friends there, of course I care.

BUT.

I just visited Beograd...saw places totally destroyed by NATO. Talked to a good friend of mine who lost a lot of people very close to him in the war. INNOCENT PEOPLE.

The rest of the world is SUPPOSED to be crying rivers for the US right now, you know. But the western world never had very much sympathy for Yugoslavia. Not even the small, innocent people over there.
But when it comes to US...you better have sympathy...

Sorry if I offended someone. Beograd just made me cry. Rivers.

The list

[aquariusmama.livejournal.com]

Actually it was pretty funny to read the songs on the list issued by Clear Channel. They had the list in the paper and were making fun of it. It was not issued by the government!!!! Come on!!! The funny thing is that I had heard at least 3 of the songs on the list that afternoon listening to a Clear Channel owned radio station. The DJs were ignoring it. It was pretty silly. I could see some of the songs being insensitive, but considering how much Americans love satire...some people welcome a little irony.
Where did you hear that the government banned songs???? Just curious...

oooh, not done

[aquariusmama.livejournal.com]

About the airing of an interview with an Afghan leader...banned?? what??? I don't know if that was one of the interviews I've seen, but I have seen a couple. Right after the attacks there were shows all over the place showing recent interviews too. That wouldn't happen. People want to be informed and to know what's going on. There is nothing wrong with showing an interview. The fact is almost anything can be shown on TV, and often is. (Cable, not neccessarily network TV, but who doesn't have cable or dish now?) Nobody is protecting our "fragile" American psyche, don't worry. The comedians have started to run with this already, like I said...irony and satire...very popular.

I think you have been listening to the mis-informed :). Don't worry, no one is messing with our freedom of speech, yet! Can you imagine journalists allowing any of that??? No way, it would be a huge story!

Banned music

[tbone.livejournal.com]

I had basically the same reaction when I heard that "Imagine" was on the list. It reminded me of an episode of "WKRP in Cincinnati" where the same song was banned from the WKRP playlist.

I never did hear that any of this was a government edict; it totally originated with the radio stations and their ownership/management. That's a big differece. We still have Constitutionally guaranteed free speech (with a few notable exceptions) but what private parties do is their own business. If a disk jockey or station manager had played one of those songs, he probably wouldn't have gone to jail or been fined, but he might have lost his job. It's just self-censorship, that's all. Probably not too bright, but that's all it is.

Things you can't say in broadcasting...

[(Anonymous)]

Reminds me of Ceorge Carlin and his Supreme Court ruling on the words you can't say on radio, which if I remember correctly were

shit
fuck
asshole
jackoff
motherfucker
cocksucker

His response to the fracas was that if you didn't like hearing them there were two controls on your radio. One turned it off the other changed the station.

Some of the 'standard and practices' rulings he encountered in broadcasting were odd to say the least. You can say 'pissed off' but you can't say 'pissed on' as in...
"Why are you so pissed off?"
"He pissed on me!"
You can say "pissed" if you mean 'mad' but not if you mean 'to urinate'.

Ya se que no tiene nada que ver pero....

[caniche.livejournal.com]

Te gustan los Heroes del silencio?????? No sabia que los conocieras!!! SObre todo la cancion de "Entre 2 tierras" es genial!! Tambien me gusta la de Maldito Duende...

And I also agree with you.. they "think" they are the only country with freedom, gods! That really PISSES me, you know?