Cons of Censorship essays

Cons of Censorship essays Censorship also has a negative side. Censoring certain material in the media deprives the people of information, which may be crucial to their formation of opinions. The act of censoring also violates many rights of American citizens. Numerous problems with censorship present themselves daily in everyday life. Many critics of this policy claim the government resorts to the concealment of classified documents to hide controversial events from the public. The government weakly argues it is for the sake of national security. However, doubt was aroused among people everywhere after an issue called the Pentagon Papers arose. These documents obtained by the press through a leak in the Defense Department proved certain presidents violated certain laws. They had apparently decided to act on choices concerning military policy in foreign countries without Congresss approval. The people have a right to know what decisions are being made concerning their country. Another major event concerning censorship occurred in 1996. The April edition of the Los Angeles Times refused to print a certain comic strip because they strongly disagreed with a viewpoint it expressed. This was a poorly made decision, for people have the right t o read what they want and make opinions for themselves. Another problem with censoring what is presumed to be offensive material is the basic truth that what is offensive to some may not be offensive to all. Critics of censorship strongly defend the belief that the majority of the people have no right to decide the sensibilities for the minority. Sensibilities of the public change over time as society and culture evolves. What may be offensive to one generation may not be at all offensive to the next. It is also true that somebody will always be offended with some certain material. Another major problem with censorship is the direct violation of rights. Groups have even come together for the sole purpose of protesti...