Isabel Valdez
Professor Patel
Writing 01 Section 54
October 17, 2012
Works Cited
Fish, Stanley. “The Free-Speech Follies”. Language Awareness. Eds. Escholz, Rosa, Clark.
Boston. Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2009. Print
This essay is about how American writers take advantage of the First Amendment. In this essay,
Stanley Fish writes about writers are attacked on their unpopular articles, or stories, they say that
they have the right to write about whatever they want to because, it is the First Amendment,
which every single citizen has. Fish argues that in many cases, writers who give their negative
offending opinions say that no one can stop them because of their First Amendment, and that
they should have no type of censorship. Fish also argues that writers view themselves as heroes
because they have spoken out on a very controversial issue that others would not say. Fish might
agree that writers use their First Amendment wrongly, in the way that they think they can say
anything and justify it with the amendment, and view themselves as a writer who has done good,
but not all writers have done good. The main point in Stanley Fish’s article is that there has to be
some type of censorship in writing, because they utilize their amendment wrongfully, and it is
only to be used by those who are a real “hero”.
Stanley Fish is not the only author who believes that censorship is essential. Fish’s ideas connect
to the ideas of Irving Kristol, who wrote “Pornography, Obscenity, and the Case for Censorship”.
In Irving Kristol’s story he says that in order for America to stay a democracy, censorship should
exist. Fish and Kristol have a similar idea because they both believe that censorship is a key
factor to better the view of the American beliefs, whether it is for its democracy or the
constitution. While Fish believes in censorship, opposers might say that the United States has a
reason for the first amendment and it can be used whenever writers or outspoken people want to
because in other countries freedom of speech is restricted. Another counterargument might be
that America does not need censorship because this is what America is a big country with many
outspoken writers that are able to speak their mind whenever they want. Stanley Fish believes
that the First Amendment is not a reason for people to write about whatever is on their mind all
the time.
Kristol, Irving. “Pornography, Obscenity, and the Case for Censorship”. Language Awareness.
Eds. Escholz, Rosa, Clark. Boston. Bedford/St.Martin’s.2009.Print.
Kristol believes in censorship because?. In his story, Kristol writes about how censorship helps
the world look like normal people and not like crazy animals. The main point of his essay is that
artist, writers, and every day people need to be careful with the actions they do because it is too
obscene. Kristol says that the media portrays too many sexual behaviors such as women in a
little bit of clothes, or men talking about sex, and talk shows discussing sex. This essay says how
censorship can be added because it makes the American society seem as animals. Kristol
believes that censorship is essential because it gives little room for one to corrupt themselves and
makes the mind of young children an old obscene mind. In his essay, he also talks about how
many artists feel as if they would be limited in their art if the American society had too much
censorship, they would say that that their art is freedom of speech. Kristol disagrees and says that
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it is going too far. The main idea in his essay is that in the current world it is too obscene and
censorship needs to be added, because society is affecting the minds of young children.
Irving Kristol’s ideas can relate to Stanley Fish. Both the writers would agree that censorship has
to be added to many books, art, and media because?. In Stanley Fish’s essay, he says that many
people take advantage of their First Amendment and that they use it as an excuse to speak any
thing that is on their mind, even if it is offensive. In Irving Kristol’s essay, he wrote about how
some artist says they can draw what they want because of their freedom of speech. Opposing
people who think differently from Irving Kristol say that censorship is only blocking people from
expressing how they really feel. It limiting them from writing, drawing, or saying their ideas and
thoughts. Kristol could have added more examples to back up his argument and the reader could
have been more convinced as to why censorship is essential.
Krotoszynski, Ronald J. "Childproofing the Internet." Brandeis Law Journa (2003): n. pag. Web.
Many of the media and the world of adult is affecting the minds of young little children. In the
television, and magazines there is a lot of talk about sex and pornography or bad words. In the
article, "Childproofing the Internet” by Ronald J. Krotoszynski he explains how the Supreme
Court is trying to out take many of the adult content out of stores and the media so the young
children will not be able to vies them. Krotoszynski’s main point of his article is that the adult
content has to be removed because any one can view it and it is not good content for the children
to view. Grown adults do not support the idea of censoring the adult content.
One author who would agree with Ronald Krotoszynski is Irving Kristol. Both the authors would
say that censorship should exist to protect the minds of the young children and not corrupt them.
People who think differently from the two authors might say that there is a First Amendment for
a reason and that they cannot take away their freedom of speech.
Loewen, James W. “ Handicapped by History.” Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your
American History Textbook Got Wrong. New York: Touchstone, 1995. Print.
In James Loewens essay, he writes about, textbooks leaving out information to put a positive
image on many popular people such as, presidents, activists, and other significant figures in
America. Loewen says that the reason textbooks are modified, is so that many students in school
can have public figures and have someone to look up to, but in Loewens perspective those
textbooks need to have the real background stories to each person that is written about, because
students are not learning the truth about the figures written about. The main point of James
Loewen’s essay is that textbooks are not supposed to be censored and have the full detailed
stories because they leave out many important parts such as the negative ideas or actions that
occurred. Loewen believes that the reason the text books are censored is so that students can
have “heroes” they can look up to.
The ideas of James Loewen can relate to the ideas of Stuart Taylor, writer of, “How Campus
Censors Squelch Freedom of Speech.”, these two essays are the same in the way that the both
authors believe that censorship is blocking students from learning. For example, they would both
say that censorship blocks new information from entering the minds of students. In Taylor’s
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essay, he discusses how there should not be censorship in schools because they do not give
students enough expression. Loewen talks about textbooks in school giving the wrong image to
students. In his examples he explains how Woodrow Wilson is currently viewed as an American
hero because he abolish slavery but in many school textbooks they left out that previous to his
presidency he owned many of slaves.. A counter argument for James Loewen’s idea is that
textbooks should be censored because there is no such thing as “perfect” and that these people
need to be seen as good so that the students who read the textbooks can have someone to look up
to and want to be like them. One question I have for is if textbooks have the real full stories, then
how it will affect the minds of young students. I believe that the essay should have had more
examples of how textbooks should not be censored.
Isabel,
You’ve done a nice job of providing an overview of the articles’ summary and examples. Now,
aim to be more thorough in your explanations of connections and identify more critiques of the
articles as well.
Formatting – 18/20
Accuracy of Ideas – 17/20
Fluency/Clarity – 16/20
Summary – 18/20
Analysis – 18/20
Score: 87/100
Grade: B+