Freedom at its Finest

Yes, obviously there is censorship in music. When is there not? Well, I guess that depends on what music you listen to. But how is “Explicit” defined? Who is to say that a word or phrase is offensive? It’s up to the perception of the audience.

Green Day can attest to that. With their releases of American Idiot in 2004 and 21^st Century Breakdown in 2009, lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong  (pictured left) refused to edit their music to reach Wal-Mart’s policy. Therefore, in those years one wouldn’t find any Green Day record on the shelves of any Wal-Mart stores.

“There’s nothing dirty about our record,” Armstrong said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Personally, I don’t think they are being insensitive.  For Armstrong, as I see it, music is a way to publicize his views; especially in American Idiot hitting on the government and the near future of war. He wanted to be vocal. So he was.  Its Armstrong’s way to call the problems of our society to mind.  Its inevitable, no matter how you approach a subject, someone will take offence to another’s opinions. Who is to say we can’t voice personal perspectives on a problem at hand?

According to Armstrong, if you want to censor someone, what does that say about speaking his mind?

I believe it’s a limitation of creativity. If an artist decides upon language and context, that according to society should be censored, it’s their personal choice. No one is forced to listen to the music.

Even with Green Day’s decision of non-censoring to the biggest music retailor, 21^st Century Breakdown reached the top of Billboard 200 in the short span of 3 days.

But in an opposite viewpoint, to relate to a current event, recently an article was written about Philadelphia’s Neshaminy High School's paper, the Playwickian. The students were sent to the principal for being too sensitive . Too sensitive! How? Because their mascot, the Redskins, was seen as offensive by the students. They in turn removed the word “Redskins” from any piece of publication.

This is unfair to the students—being in trouble for the belief of censoring themselves. It was their decision to eliminate the word. And in the recent staff editorial, it states, “Detractors will argue that the word is used with all due respect. But the offensiveness of a word cannot be judged by its intended meaning, but by how it is received.”

By taking into account the audience, rhetoric is in mind. The stance is taken in position to account the perception of the reader. I see no reason why the school is taking offence to the matter.

According to editor-and-chief of the Playwickian Gillian McGoldrick, they are not giving into the pressure of using the word. No one should be forced into saying something they don’t want to.

It’s called freedom of speech. Sometimes the absence is stronger than saying the word. So, is the school breaking the first amendment?

 

I’d say yes. This is not in any way affecting the government negatively, which is the only reason why the first amendment would be suppressed. It is a decision. One made justly. One made thoughtfully.

Constantly we are told to use our voices for positive impact in our social world. But we are hindered by those educators, as shown above, who deemed it wrong to remove a simple word that could obviously be taken as an insult.

 

Home

According to dictionary.com, there are eleven definitions for the noun home. So how do you describe a home?

Is it the place you lived for the majority of your life? Where you have the most memories? Is it the place where your heart is? Somewhere that you feel safe? Where you have friends? Where you are accepted?

I’ve contemplated these questions for the past three years because I don’t know where I stand. Even before I packed my belongings and left the life I knew in St. Louis, I questioned where I would call home. Could I transition? Would I make friends? Would I keep in touch? How many times could I visit "home"? Would I move back?

It was and still is a thread of unending questions.

I hadn’t heard Bon Jovi’s song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” in ages, but on the final drive to Ohio, the radio blasted (which rarely happenes). The old, familiar beat played. Perusal, I sang. But At that time, the lyrics hit home the hardest.

"It doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter where you go

If it's a million miles away or just a mile up the road

Take it in. Take it with you when you go,

Who says you can't go home?"

In all honesty, compared to most people who have moved away from their hometown, I visit mine quite often. As each Thanksgiving and Christmas come around, there are always family gathering. Weddings are more frequent (as I am one of the younger kids in my family). It seems as if I go home every few months.

Everything seems normal, as it should. I have to be a bit more social with my family than I used to be, but nothing I can’t handle. I just don’t bring a book anymore, or well most times. I still find myself reading a book during the trips, but I have to engage in conversation more often than not. The chatter is about everything. Normal.

My friends and I will meet up to have a sleepover staying up into the night watching movies, eating popcorn and talking about anything that comes to mind. Sometimes I think I haven’t left. But the time always comes when suitcases have to be packed and the drive has to be made back to Ohio.

In the song “That Home” by the group Newsboys, a different aspect of a home is encountered. The chorus describes a safe haven with a platform of love.

 “In that home

We knew we were safe

To be young enough to dream

Find the faith to believe

And in that home

Love, it had no end

It's where we learned to forgive

In that home”

 In essence, this could be anywhere then. This home could be a special sanctuary; a place where you feel most as yourself or somewhere you can be open, honest, truthful. This acceptance is not only with yourself but with others.

It doesn’t have to be a place you live, or even some place you visit daily. This home is personal to you.

Yet another characteristic of what a home is can be found in Carrie Underwood’s song “Temporary Home.” With the slow ballad, the lyrics flow with the meaning that your home is not on this planet. It is the afterlife.

“This is my temporary home, it's not where I belong

 Windows and rooms that I'm passing through

 This was just a stop on the way to where I'm going

 I'm not afraid because I know

 This was my temporary home”

We are all on this planet to live and to leave a legacy behind. But in truth, our destination for life is not here on Earth. We are divine creatures that at some point return to a spiritual world.

♫♫♫♫♫

There is no definitive answer to what is a home. It depends on how you approach the question.

After mulling over countless songs and numerous questions, I still don’t think I’ve settled on an answer, even three years after moving. I think it combines all the messages, really.

For me, narrowing it down, I’d say a home is built off of love, comfort and familiarity. But there is more than just this life. Hereafter holds a new adventure. Yet, we can’t find out that journey, well, until our time comes to pass. It’s waiting. But for now, life is here on earth with people we love. Make the most of it because even if you are uprooted and thrown into a whirlwind of change, you can still return to the place that built you <3