From: wags@atlantis.cimage.com (Bill Wagner /10000)
Subject: Re: Tipper Update!
Reply-To: wags@cimage.com (Bill Wagner)
Organization: Cimage Corporation
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 15:18:18 GMT


In article <14f16bINN1l0@stanley.cis.Brown.EDU>,
ST702459@brownvm.brown.edu (Jordan Schwartz) writes:
|> I think that it is a dangerous over-simplification of the situation to say
|> that Tipper is "against free speech". I mean, we all agree that noone has
|> the right to yell "fire" in a crowded theatre. Now we take the song
|> "cop-killer" by Ice-T. Many would argue that he is simply venting his
|> justifiable anger against a bigotted society. However, how would we feel if
|> the song was called "Jew Killer" or "Head Killer". There are clearly some
|> cases where we can see intuitively that it is abuse of "free speech" to
|> use the media to spread "dangerous" ideas. Of course, this begs the question
|> "who defines 'dangerous'"? Well, someone HAS to, otherwise cross-burnings,
|> etc. will be legal and common. Now, at present, I don't have a great deal
|> of faith in the good judgement of our elected officials, but I don't think
|> that this means we should simply dismiss the idea of controlling what kinds
|> hateful words impressionable youth are exposed to. Tipper, I believe,
|> supported warning labels, not necessarily outright bans. While I think that
|> in practice this would probably be counterproductive (consider how you would
|> prefer to see an R movie rather than a G movie...), I do believe that free
|> speech is a privilege that should not be abused. By encouraging hateful
|> and demeaning attitudes towards women, groups like 2 Live Crew are abusing
|> the American system and giving free speech a bad name. Let's save our
|> amendments for when it matters, such as political issues. We can all
see that
|> 2 Live Crew and Ice-T do not deserve our support.
|> 
|> Feel free to respond via E-mail for a more extended debate...
|> 
|> Jordan

National Public Radio had an interesting discussion on Morning Edition
about Tipper the day(s) after Al G. was announced as the VP candidate.

She was for *labelling* records and CDs, but has come out *against* any
bans, including the Florida bills to outlaw selling 2 Live Crew albums 
to minors.  This has helped lower her negative rating around the music
industry.  

She started the PMRC after buying 'Purple Rain' for one of their younger
children.  One of the songs is apparently about Prince's obsession and
conquest of someone.  (I may be wrong, not a big Prince fan.)  The song
is somewhat graphic.  Tipper was quite upset that the child (nine at 
the time) was exposed to this.  

My own opionion is that government should not be in the business of
warning me what my children are ready for.  That is up to me as a 
parent to determine what words / ideas / concepts that my children
are mature enough to comprehend.  I think Tipper failed as a parent 
by not having some idea what she was buying for her children.


---------
          Bill Wagner                USPS net: 307 S. Macomb
Internet: wags@cimage.com                      Manchester MI 48158
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Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead