A lot of people seem to be into censorship. What a mixed bag to open. When you advocate censorship you have to be careful in who you decide can carry out such an activity. Who do you choose? What criteria shall determine what is allowed and what is not? Do you allow only the majority to speak? Is our republic only about guaranteeing the rights of the majority? Who decides what is “fit” to print?  When you start down the road of censorship are you sure you, yourself, won’t eventually be censored?

Some matters of decency have to be followed in allowing what is allowed to find it’s way into print. Respect for other’s opinions and person must be maintained as well. Pornography has no place in the mainstream of media. Defamation of character should not be permitted either as it opens the media carrying it to litigation, not just the individual doing the defaming.

Issues should be open to debate, allowing dissension of views as well. Even if the individual doing the dissenting has no stated reasons for disagreement, no foundation for their opinion, still it must stand. Of course, unsupported viewpoints do not carry the weight of those with the backing of proof, evidence, knowledge, and will be dismissed. However, speaking one’s mind is a part of the concept of free speech, of which we are guaranteed, by the Constitution.

For more on Censorship, it’s forms, etc. please check the following sites:

http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/censorship/26611res20060830.html

http://www.serendipity.li/cda.html