Patriotic fervor leads some to censorship
by Chris Taylor, editor-in-chief

    With all the flag waving and patriotism flying around, it seems that it’s become the American way to censor.

    I wonder how many of the flag-wavers would feel if they knew that in this day and age some people still try to control information through censorship.

    I even have to deal with it on a daily basis. I’ve had people flat out ask that I be censored and others who attempt to get me fired. Why? Because I said something they didn’t like? Or that my opinions are not valid because they don’t reflect the majority?

    I don’t feel too bad, though. I’m in good company. Recent efforts have tried to censor or otherwise ban works by Mark Twain and John Steinbeck.

    I find it somewhat ironic that two of America’s greatest writers are not fit to represent or be published in America.

    I know it is unpopular to criticize our nation while we are hunting for terrorists to detain for an undetermined amount of time. But, we should think about how out of control we get in the name of safety and political correctness.

    Speaking of political correctness, the Clear Channel radio network has issued a list of lyrically questionable songs to its radio stations.

    Clear Channel owns six DFW stations including 97.1, 92.5 and 102.9.

    Clear Channel is so worried about offending that it suggested Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York not be played.

    Some of the songs on the list are just ridiculous and show how far political correctness has coiled itself around the throat of freedom. Some of the odder choices are John Lennon’s Imagine, Van Halen’s Jump and my personal favorite, Wipeout by the Surfaris.

    How is that song lyrically questionable? It has almost no lyrics.

    This is coupled with the fact that many movies and television shows are busy removing any pictures of the World Trade Center from the films.

    So, I guess we are all supposed to pretend it didn’t happen—the WTC never existed. Being sensitive is one thing, but being afraid to talk about what happened is another thing entirely.

    I was angry when my country was attacked. Now, I’m not sure what country I live in anymore. It sure doesn’t look like America to me.