http://www.tabootunes.com/

[Jasper Fidget]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On
> Behalf Of pynchonoid
> Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2004 12:53 PM
> To: Pynchon-L
> Subject: FYI: http://www.tabootunes.com/
> 
> http://www.tabootunes.com/
> 
> Taboo Tunes  songs that have sparked controversies
> down through the ages  can make for interesting
> listening. It is the periodic campaigns to suppress or
> censor such music, however, that are absolutely worth
> keeping an eye on. And thats why tabootunes.com
> exists.
> 
> At heart, the targeting of music by its various foes
> is nothing less than a crude attempt to limit what
> ideas are acceptable  and to exert control over
> what notions are allowed to become a societys
> accepted "truths." It is hoped that shining a glaring
> spotlight on music censorship here will help provide
> an indicator of the health of our democracys
> traditions of tolerance.
> 
> For a definitive account of music censorship history,
> please check out the new book Taboo Tunes: A History
> of Banned Bands & Censored Songs  or see the Taboo
> News web-log here for updates...
> 


Since you bring it up, any US citizens who care about free speech should
write their senators urging them to vote against bill S.2056: "the Broadcast
Decency Enforcement Act of 2004": "A bill to increase the penalties for
violations by television and radio broadcasters of the prohibitions against
transmission of obscene, indecent, and profane language."  It would also
allow the FCC to fine "nonlicensees" for these violations -- individuals --
which could include program hosts, artists, guests, and callers.  

Needless to say, GWB has promised to sign it.

Imagine this precedent expands to publishing.  Faced with the threat of
enormous fines, how does a book publisher avoid censoring its authors, even
revising existing works for new editions?  What does an author charged with
indecency do?  Perhaps it's worth reminding that two of the greatest novels
of the 20th century -- Ulysses and Lolita -- were both labeled "obscene"
when they were published.  Imagine if governments had slapped financially
crippling fines on Joyce and Nabokov for their work.  There may never have
been a Finnegans Wake, never a Pale Fire.  That's what I call obscene.

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SN02056:

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:HR03717:@@@L&summ2=m&

http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeech.cfm?ID=15280&c=83

http://www.aftra.org/aftra/DOCS/senateindecencyltrfinal.pdf

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm


Jasper