Crossing Modes: Censorship & Fairness
Censorship and Fairness
Crossing Modes Project
Background:
As we near an impending Democratic supermajority in the Senate, some conservative individuals fear a loss of freedom. The most obvious attack is the one on conservative talk radio, the only element of media which the liberal machine has not been successful in competing. As such, the new administration has begun talks of reinstituting the tyrannical ideal of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.”
The First Amendment to the United States’ Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech, yet from 1949 to 1987 the American government, by way of the FCC, regulated the presentation of controversial issues by licensed broadcasters. The FCC felt that certain subjects needed to have each side represented in a manner that was fair and balanced, but this generally worked in favor of the liberals who sued successfully. This doctrine was repealed by the FCC under Reagan in 1987, which freed local and national talent to more openly and unashamedly offer their conservative editorials to the American population.
While this doctrine of equality seems on the surface to be a noble idea, the focus of today’s liberal leaders is solely in the one realm of media that their bias does not have a stronghold, talk radio. Since talk radio shares a conservative and libertarian bias over the “public airwaves,” liberals want what they consider to be their “fair share,” but they don’t feel the need to actually compete in this arena of ideas. While newspapers like the New York Times and The Washington Post, news talking-heads like Dan Rather, whose own bias was exposed as he made allegations against the not-so-conservative President Bush, and two major cable channels that promote a similar anti-conservative bias continue to succeed in their respective mediums, the liberals have yet to put in place a successful radio outlet that can compete with the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, Savage, and Boortz. Yes, they have NPR, but that only exists by means of public funding. In the area of privately owned radio, they only have the failure of Air America to list.
So long as we the people agree with the liberal leadership, we will not be censored. Americans seem more willing to sacrifice freedom for security than ever before, more willing to allow the government to provide for their needs such as individualized healthcare, and more willing to ignore the truths of personal responsibility and accountability (as seen in the latest $700 billion bail-out and Obama’s plan for another $500 billion bail-out). This mindset will inevitably lead us down the path towards socialism. Instead of working harder to succeed in the capitalist environment where competitive edge is key, the liberal lawmakers hope to proceed as the Sith constructing the Empire, with Darth Vader Feinstein at the helm. Will the conservative rebellion be reborn and will the light of capitalism continue? Only time will tell if a new hope can be found.
Central Understanding:
There is bias in everything you read and/or view. You cannot escape it, even from me, no matter how much I attempt to withhold my personal viewpoints. Many may disagree with my take on the “fairness doctrine,” and that is their/your right as an American. Even greater still, this is your right in my class. In fact, I encourage you to express your own opinions and to do so with fervent passion. I do, however, expect you to write, to speak (when required), and to listen respectfully. There will be differing viewpoints offered in class so you must each give your utmost respect to one another. Otherwise, this class experiment will fail.
The focus for us this semester is to delve into a world of controversy. Hopefully, this will spark some interest in you, cause you to struggle with your own beliefs, and push you to battle for your own opinions. This is a class where all opinions are allowed, so long as you can back up those opinions with fact. Remember, there are no wrong answers, so write and speak with confidence and respect.
Assignments:
Your first assignment will be to respond to my essay on the “Fairness Doctrine” and to the YouTube videos provided. You may agree or disagree, and you should do so via your provided student weblog. You should, of course, provide written and video evidence to support your opinion.
As a class, we will read the following formerly and sometime censored fictional novels:
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (banned due to its use of profanity and portrayal of sexuality and teen issues)
Pat Conroy’s Beach Music (banned due to its use of profanity and grotesque
descriptions of the Holocaust and suicide)
During the time of reading these novels, we will be discussing the authors, their biographies and how their lives impacted the what, how, and why they wrote their novels. You will respond to daily argumentative prompts that will challenge you to back up your opinions. Additionally, you will be given the opportunity to write your own personal narrative (real or fictional), sharing your own struggles and triumphs by way of your Writing Walkabout journals. Your journal entries will be considered as part of your class participation grade, but every two weeks you will share your best writing with the class. Along the way, (once a week) you will have the opportunity to brain-storm, critique and receive feedback from your assigned peer group.
Then, we will move to the study of drama using the great tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, but don’t let this frighten you. Shakespeare was just like any other writer who wanted to get his views out to the public. He was the George Lucas or Steven Spielberg of his day who happened to have a talent for poetry and rhyme.
We will discuss Shakespeare’s life and times in order to gain a greater understanding as to why he began writing Roman histories like Julius Caesar in the first place. He and other poets and playwrights faced censorship by the nobles of his day, so he responded using well-known Roman histories to express his own political views.
Be prepared to respond to prompts relating to censorship and how you might react if faced with it. Could you work around the censorship or outsmart those in charge like Shakespeare did? To find out, you will be faced with government censorship (from me), held down by the Man, as it were. By completing the multi-genre project, you will prove your inventiveness and persuade the authorities that your views are not only the correct ones to hold, but that they need to change theirs. Your project will come in the form of narrative, poetry, drama, PowerPoint, etc. The choice will be yours, but you will be expected to use at least four genres to complete this project.
Finally, we will turn to the realm of science and religion as we’ll practice our listening and viewing skills by watching Stanley Kramer’s Inherit the Wind with Spencer Tracey playing Harry Drummond, a character based on Clarence Darrow. We will briefly discuss the theory of evolution and survival of the fittest as proposed by Charles Darwin, his grandfather and other scientists. You will be offered a more technical explanation during your science class.
To be certain that we maintain an environment that is equitable to multiple views, we will read the creation texts of Genesis chapters two and three from the New American Standard Version of the Bible. You will be offered the opportunity to voice your opinion on creationism as well as evolution. At the conclusion of this study, we will leave one class period for a mock-trial. Your debate will mirror the Scopes “Monkey” Trial, so remember freedom, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, religious and scientific faith will all be on trial. You may bring in “experts” as witnesses or complete interviews by pre-filmed video. Be creative and persuasive as you complete this project.
Vocabulary:
Throughout these reading, listening, responding, and viewing assignments, you will also be held accountable for appropriate vocabulary related to the subjects of censorship and fairness.
Additional Websites:
Along the way, you will want to use the internet for research purposes. When doing so, you may want to consider the following sites:
The Hill.com (Schumer on the “Fairness Doctrine”)
Censorship & Pat Conroy (an article)
The Socialist Review (on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar)
Darwinian Evolution Debunked? Check out the video, as well.
Closing Thoughts:
Upon the completion of this unit, you will have written persuasively, expositorily, and poetically. You, also, will have constructed PowerPoint presentations, produced short-films, written narratives, and increased your vocabulary. But most importantly, you will have learned to think outside of the box, for you will have been faced with heated issues of the day, debated in arguments, and responded to the constrictions of authority. You will have learned how to think when under duress and will have been challenged to stand firm for your beliefs, or your eyes may have been opened to new ideas. These are the goals of this class, and as a better man said than I, “Have fun storming the castle!”
