Реферат: Why Dirty Words Are Dirty Essay Research

from

unexpected program content.”(Gunther, 1991) So here’s the simple solution,

turn off the radio. How hard can that be? It’s not too difficult but the

Supreme Court decided “to say that one may avoid further offense by turning

off the radio…is like saying that the remedy for assault is run away

after

the first blow.”(Gunther, 1991)

The second reason why broadcasting has received limited first amendment

protection is because “broadcasting is uniquely accessible to children,

even

those too young to read.”(Gunther, 1991) Even though children at a young

age

can’t read obscene messages, the Carlin broadcast could have enlarged a

child’s vocabulary in a matter of seconds. These two important factors of

broadcasting gave the Supreme Court the push they needed for regulation.

The

Court decides that “the ease with which children may obtain access to

broadcast material, coupled with the concerns recognized, amply justify

special treatment of indecent broadcasting.”(Gunther, 1991) But does that

mean that adults have to listen to what is fit for children’s ears? Must

adults now go out and purchase George Carlin’s album for entertainment?

This

decision might not seem a fair one to most who agree with Carlin’s message,

but according to the Supreme Court it “does not violate anyones first

amendment rights.”(Gunther, 1991)

If the government could allow this type of speech to be regulated then they

must also take into account that regulating indecent speech would effect

many

other integral parts of broadcasting. For instance, “these rationales could