Censorship: Beating around the Bush

You can judge a book by its cover. I don’t think you should, but you can—and, oh boy, does it happen all the time. And judgment isn’t limited to books. People love to judge things that push the envelope, whether it’s a book, movie or play. Quite often, their conclusion is premature and bias. But what if this cover that we’re judging is just plain sick? What if it suggests that God gives people AIDS as a punishment, or that a 14-year old can have a meaningful relationship with her rapist uncle? What if it gruesomely depicts the assassination of President Bush?
Personally, I’m very concerned about the AIDS epidemic, and I don’t condone incest and rape. These are two “covers” that disturb me greatly. They are also the themes of two plays that I’ve become familiar with in my years here at Piedmont, "An Altar Boy Talks to God," and "How I Learned to Drive." They are two plays that are ultimately beautiful portrayals of life and its inherent struggles. They are—I guarantee you—two examples of the redeeming power of fiction.
These experiences have provided me with the insight to look objectively at the latest test of our tolerance, a British film that realistically depicts the assassination of President Bush. On the surface, two prejudices come into play. First, I’m not a big fan of Bush and his policies. Second, I don’t want to see him brutally killed. Where do I personally draw the line? Let’s see where others have drawn it.
The wonderful nature of the internet has given birth to the ability to post comments on news articles, and since I’m only a single lowly citizen voicing my opinion, I find some random strangers opinion just as credible. John Denton, of Who-the-hell-knows-where, USA, has this to say about the film: “The film is catharsis. Sixty percent of Americans wish Bush's ideas would die…KILL KILL KILL HIS IDEAS!” On the other hand, Suzy, of the same origin, states, “I wish that a few people had the guts to actually stand up for our President. The out of control network news and biased liberal newspapers and magazines are the cause of the divide in this country. They hate Bush…Maybe a movie should be made about killing the people who made this movie.”
I’m going to come to a conclusion now, and what a disappointment it will be—because I have no conclusion. The movie has not been released. I haven’t seen it. And how, oh, please tell me how, can you effectively judge a movie by its trailer?
About a year ago, I stood on the Piedmont stage in character, as Tim the Altar Boy, asking God to his face why he felt homosexuals should die an excruciating and diseased death from AIDS. Well, God never answered me—but I did hear the theater door slam. Someone had judged the play by its cover; it wasn’t appropriate enough on the surface. That audience member was never introduced to the hypocrisies and subtle inferences that made that play the powerful social tool that it was. Don’t be that guy.
Judge the Bush assassination video. But only after you have the balls to watch it.