2008 Woodie Awards
Don't try to censor this $#!+
Lariat Editorial Board
Issue date: 11/21/07 Section: Opinion
All this gutting and destroying of artistic creations to fit less-accepting market demographics must come to an end. It is nothing short of sickening to hear about a film's director forced to cut a scene or a musician to edit a lyric because it may upset some people who can't deal with reality.
Violations of expression span from the mere existence of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), to the parental guidance stickers placed on music albums, to the under-17 crowd banned from R-rated movies.
Why is it that Quentin Tarantino had to render scenes of his film "Kill Bill" in black and white because they were deemed too graphic and realistic in color? No one was forcing the images on anyone. Realism should be celebrated, not censored, if that was the intended outcome.
Why is it that realistic animated violence, like in the new 3D film, "Beowulf", is just fine, though the characters are drawn as similar to real life as possible? How is violence on fake images more acceptable than fake violence on real images?
People need to grow up and quit trying to live with their heads in the sand.
It's fully understandable if parents wish their children to not be exposed to whatever the controversial material may be, but the rest of us should have to suffer for their inability to shield their offspring from the real world.
It is a grotesque violation of the freedoms granted in the First Amendment when the personal taste of a few is sought to be implemented into nationwide policy.
A fine example of this is the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), founded by Tipper Gore, former Vice President Al Gore's wife. Back in 1985, she and a group of other rich, stuck-up wives went before the U.S. Senate and fought for the "Parental Advisory" stickers on CDs. Beyond that, record companies started producing edited material for the more sensitive listeners.
This is heresy in the eyes of any artist who has an ounce of respect for their craft.
Violations of expression span from the mere existence of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), to the parental guidance stickers placed on music albums, to the under-17 crowd banned from R-rated movies.
Why is it that Quentin Tarantino had to render scenes of his film "Kill Bill" in black and white because they were deemed too graphic and realistic in color? No one was forcing the images on anyone. Realism should be celebrated, not censored, if that was the intended outcome.
Why is it that realistic animated violence, like in the new 3D film, "Beowulf", is just fine, though the characters are drawn as similar to real life as possible? How is violence on fake images more acceptable than fake violence on real images?
People need to grow up and quit trying to live with their heads in the sand.
It's fully understandable if parents wish their children to not be exposed to whatever the controversial material may be, but the rest of us should have to suffer for their inability to shield their offspring from the real world.
It is a grotesque violation of the freedoms granted in the First Amendment when the personal taste of a few is sought to be implemented into nationwide policy.
A fine example of this is the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), founded by Tipper Gore, former Vice President Al Gore's wife. Back in 1985, she and a group of other rich, stuck-up wives went before the U.S. Senate and fought for the "Parental Advisory" stickers on CDs. Beyond that, record companies started producing edited material for the more sensitive listeners.
This is heresy in the eyes of any artist who has an ounce of respect for their craft.
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