As a consumer of many forms of entertainment, I've seen and have been affected firsthand by regulations and censorship in all media outlets.  From TV to movies to video games, I've seen content pushing the envelope and censors pushing right back.  The FCC, MPAA, and ESRB, just to name a few, are slowly tightening their grasp around free speech in the media.  Government agencies and media watchdogs haven't entirely crushed the rights of entertainers, but they have been slowly trimming off the morally repugnant fat off its sides for years to the point where the media has become an entity of two formats; compliant to standards and a thorn in the side of those who wish to remove violence, swearing, smoking, and arguably anything that isn't politically correct from all forms of entertainment in the name of utilitarianism.

         Yet, as people continue to argue for censorship, they are arguing away their own rights.  The basis of censorship is to rid all forms of consumable, degrading material from society.  In other words, cut out everything that makes people feel bad from all aspects of life.  This is the primary problem with censors; it is possible for anyone to take offense to any word in the English language or any action that could be conceived.  The most compelling example of this is in the television show South Park.

         Admittedly, I am biased towards the series because I find it hilarious as well as interesting.  The show has transformed from what could be entitled toilet humor to witty political satire.  The show has amassed a strong following for its humor as well as its ideology.  The show constantly points out various opinions that seem to be common sense and logical for many people, but aren't represented in mainstream culture.  For this, the creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, have gotten a bad rap for saying things that seem tasteless and doing shows about issues that few other people are willing to touch.  Because of this, I was not a very big fan of the show in the first few years that it aired.  Even four years ago, I was unwilling to watch it because I felt, because I had never viewed the show and only listened to outside comments about it, that the show was nothing but immature toilet humor; something that I didn't want to consume.

         Yet, as the years passed, I grew very fond of the show because I watched it, laughed at all of the silly and dirty antics of the characters and thought about the message that it was sending.  But there are many people who still refuse to see what the creators are saying in the episode and instead choose to focus on foul language and other offensive items in the show.  The one episode that particularly comes to mind aired shortly after Muslims began rioting after a Dutch newspaper printed the infamous caricature of Mohammed with a bomb as his turban.  South Park's network, Comedy Central, refused to air an image of Mohammed on an episode for fear that extremists may retaliate and possibly take lives as a result of their actions.  Therefore, Mohammed did not appear on the show.  However, the end of the show was marked by a mock video of al-Zawahri and bin Laden enacting their revenge by airing a video of President Bush, Jesus, and several Americans defecating on the American flag and each other. The whole purpose of the episode was the reveal the hypocrisy of following our respecting the wishes of one group of people out of fear while ignoring the wishes of other groups. Comedy Central censored the image of Mohammed because they felt that people could be killed as a result.  However, the creators wanted to air the image because they understood that it would be cut from the final broadcast, thereby revealing the blatant hypocrisy not only of the network, but of censorship all together.  In short, the show can defile and deface everything for the exception of a few scared cows. Comedy Central practiced the art of picking and choosing that which is acceptable and that which is not.  The moment this occurs, our society has become broadly hypocritical; accepting some forms of entertainment, but not all.

         Even though South Park continues to fight censorship, it has forged a path for itself since the first episode aired in 1997.  However, their path has only been for themselves and the true realization of the content of their shows.  Other forms of media are still suffering from the epidemic of censorship to this day.  Imus' recent comments have lead to his immediate downfall and removal from both television and radio.  Studios make films more violent and sexual before their submission to the MPAA in order to push the envelope and include scenes in an R or PG-13 film that normally wouldn't have been there.

         In an age where all forms of entertainment are under attack by politicians and those who seek power, it is important to fight for all speech; even if it doesn't include our views.  Our nation has viewed the era of book burning.  It is imperative that we do not allow any such crime happen again.  Perhaps we can maintain accountability for what we individually consume, rather then regulating what every one consumes.  If you don't like what you see on TV, don't watch it.  If you find a movie to be gratuitously sexual, don't go see it.  If a video game seems to be advocating violence, don't play it.  We shouldn't be able to control others and what they consume.  We should only have that ability for ourselves.