Censorship,Statistics,and American Values

by TheCarlinist

Now these supposed "moral guides" have found "scientific evidence" that violence in media and games leads to violent acts. If there's one thing that I have learned from a year's worth of college statistics,it's that correlation does not imply causation. The data given by the study suggests a correlation between violence in the media and violent children,not a cause. If anything,video games are a constructive outlet for aggression. According to Jonathan Keller's editorial("Violence in Video Games"),video game sales have increased while violent crime in youths has actually dropped (he cites his sources,for those of you who think I'm making this up).

But back to the whole censorship issue. If we start censoring things that have even the slightest bit of controversial content (don't even get me started on the whole evolution debate or abortion),where does it end? When people lose the legal right to disagree with the religious right (as per Mitchell Gyde's editorials on)? Why is the religious right incapable of trusting us to use our own common sense? Hell,if this keeps up for long the only thing we'll be allowed to do is read the "Holy" Bible and sing hymns. Isn't the religious right being somewhat hypocritical?!

I'll give you an example. When I was a freshman in high school in Austin,TX,the Christian Coalition was in charge of the school board. They got in serious trouble with a lot of parents for trying to ban books by certain ethnic authors (like Maya Angeleau) for "graphic sexual content." Let me tell you this(and my mom would agree-she gained some noteriety around the Austin area for writing a letter to both the Round Rock and Austin newspapers along similar lines,even though both my parents are fairly religious):the Bible isn't that "Holy," either. If we're going to ban books/movies/video games/etc. for graphic/violent content,then the Bible would have to be one of the first books to go. I mean,Jesus is crucified-he's nailed to a smurfing coss, for crying out loud! John the Baptist is beheaded! Lot lets a bunch of guys "have fun" with his daughters!! And we're supposed to look to this book for moral guidance?! What kind of smurfed-up logic is that?!

If we're going to do something about violence in this country,censorship is not the way to go. You only wind up making a fool of yourself,and needlessly anger the people whose freedoms you destroy. And that's the reason why other countries don't take us seriously when we bitch and moan about abuses of civil rights.

As Mitchell did,I'm offering the standard disclaimer on this article. If you find it offensive,then GFY. I could care less. You don't have to read everything,you know...