Censorship America: understanding the concept and its impact
Why the Military and the American People Should be Concerned About Censorship in America.
This article will discuss exactly what constitutes censorship, its history, and how it relates to modern-day America as well as military life!
Sign up for Prepper Daves Free Newsletter HERE
Censorship is one of the most controversial topics in today’s society. Censorship occurs when some people succeed in imposing their personal political or moral beliefs on others, as evidenced by the enormous amount of speech, art, and information that is removed from public view every day.This can be carried out by both government officials as well as private pressure groups. While censorship by a government entity is unconstitutional and should not take place (however it does), there are many examples of censorship carried out by private individuals and groups which has led to various debates throughout time.
One of the most famous cases in censorship history is that of John Peter Zenger. In 1735, Zenger published a series of articles criticizing the colonial governor of New York. He was arrested and charged with seditious libel-a crime punishable by death. However, his lawyer Andrew Hamilton argued that truth is a defense against libel, and Zenger was acquitted. This case helped to establish freedom of the press in America.
During the mid-20th century, there were many attempts by government and private groups to censor certain books (such as “Farenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury) and movies. Many of these attempts failed; however, censorship was used for a much more sinister purpose during World War II with one example being propaganda designed to dehumanize Jews and other minorities in Germany. This form of psychological warfare is still occurring today all over the world.
Censorship has played a large role in military life during wars that America fought since WWII such as Vietnam and Iraq. In fact it still does play an important role now even though we are not technically at war! The use of social media sites like Facebook have allowed people who are currently serving in the Army to express their opinions on important issues such as politics. However, this freedom of expression is not always encouraged by military leadership who may censor soldiers even though they are off duty!
The military has strict guidelines when it comes to censoring their personnel and materials used in training exercises because they must adhere closely with the U.S.’s national interests for both domestic affairs and international relations purposes. In order for this censorship system within the armed forces to function properly there must be checks-and-balances from those who report on their actions through media outlets such as newspapers and television shows. However these forms of communication have been censored by the Department of Defense, which often leads to a lack of public understanding about what exactly is happening in the military.
As you can see, censorship has had a large impact on both America citizens and those serving in our armed forces. It has also created many debates over time; some forms of censorship will never be tolerated regardless if it’s done for moral or political reasons (like burning books) LOL. Freedom of speech should remain a very strong concept in the minds of the American people because that right has been fought and died for since before 1776!
The future of Americans being censored by the government and big tech companies is uncertain, but one thing we can do is be more aware of what is happening and try to hold these institutions accountable!
Thank you for reading, and be sure to check out our other blog posts for more information on subject such as; PSYOPS: Propaganda, Censorship, and Disinformation and Censorship: The Psychological Operation Campaigns (PSYOPS), and Facebook: Online Censorship is Raising Concerns.
Photo Credit: War on the Rocks