MovieChat Forums > Shut Up & Sing (2006) Discussion > What liberals don't understand about cen...

What liberals don't understand about censorship.

posted 16 years ago by Dudley_Dawson
7 replies | jump to latest

It MUST include the government to be censorship. Everything else is just not getting your way.

What happened to the Dixie Chicks is not censorship; it's a consequence of free speech. They were top sellers and in mainstream America. Both Republicans and Democrats loved their music. They decided to alienate half their audience by ripping on their president. How can they be so surprised at what happened afterwards.

Usually when an artist screams censorship it's just another greedy person wanting to produce Jim Jarmusch style movies but make a Steven Spielberg paycheck.

When Cheryl Crow criticized Wal-Mart for selling guns in one of her songs, why was she so surprised when Wal-Mart didn't want to do business with her?

You don't see the anti capitalism band Rage Against the Machine doing love songs do you? They actually got kicked off of Saturday Night Live because they wouldn't compromise on their principles. I'm sure they could make more money by getting more mainstream and corporate. But they seem willing to accept the consequences of free speech.

God bless the Dixie Chicks. I admire them for shooting down their earnings in the name of speaking their mind but they shouldn't complain when these consequences to free speech happen.

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 16 years ago

I agree with your post, but your title is ignorant. I am liberal and agree that this is not censorship, as I have posted before.

The problem is people of any political stripe who are ignorant on what "freedom of speech" means as laid forth in the bill of rights. It is about being free from reprisals by the government for what you say.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

[–] tango09212 16 years ago

the censorship issue came up when the corporation that owned over 200 radio stations quit playing the D.C. music , thats why they had senate hearings , the air waves belong to to public. they must follow certain guidelines , thats why you cannot cuss on the radio ....etc

[–] jrhsmartguy-1 16 years ago

Anyone who produces/distributes content can censor said content. The government does not have to be involved in order to label suppression of speech as censorship.

I agree that freedom of speech does not equal freedom from consequences.

However, the MSM is intimately intertwined with the US government and quickly becoming the 4th branch of government.

[–] VeirsTallis 16 years ago

I don't think the Chix (at least at that time) considered themselves liberals......

[–] MovieEd3290 15 years ago

Yea, I agree with you on that one. They were not originally liberal

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[–] Howlin Wolf 12 years ago

If I told you you were going to get slapped every time you told the truth, then maybe after awhile you'd be scared of telling the truth at all, because you were tired of being hit...

Free speech must be without consequence, in order to be truly free, otherwise it's not free at all...

Born when she kissed me, died when she left me, lived whilst she loved me

[–] redwood-1 11 years ago

Hey, Dudley. You're not going to pull this self-righteous crap about what the "liberals" don't understand on me. Take a look at yourself, with all your self-serving tripe. Most Americans like me take the best ideas from all over the political spectrum. You're full of yourself as are the Dixies' misguided fans.