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 Valdez 2 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 Valdez 3 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+