Freedom of Expression?

As I was reading Entertainment news online the other day, I saw yet another article about musician’s first amendment rights being attacked, and thought why can’t people let artists express themselves the way they please.

Marilyn Manson recently released an eight minute long music video titled “Heart Shaped Glasses,” which Manson directed himself. Maybe it’s just because it’s Manson, but many people have been talking about this video. The video starts out with a two and a half minute sex scene with Manson and his younger girlfriend, Evan Rachel Wood. Then it takes the viewer into a frenzy of a car ride, then again leading to more sex - but this time they are drenched in blood. So of course if its Manson and sex - you know it’s going to cause some problems.



So the controversy surrounding this video has become whether or not the sex scene is real or fake. Conservatives are saying that it is to “real” to put in a music video, and is considered pornographic. Manson will not confirm whether or not the scenes are real.

YouTube has flagged the video, saying that you must be a member and 18 years or older in order to watch the video. Also, on Manson’s video it clearly says that you must be 16 years or older to proceed. Manson has taken the necessary precautions to ensure that the wrong people don’t watch the video.

So why should Manson’s video still be a problem? Whether or not he is a “sickly insane” man, doesn’t matter - Manson has the right to produce what he wants; it goes back to the argument “if you don’t like it don’t watch it.”

The public has the right to watch whatever they feel like, well to an extent. I will never understand why people have to cause so many problems with these kinds of ordeals. Why can’t people just ignore the “crude” things if they don’t like them. It has no effect on them once so ever. Let the people who like Manson enjoy the video without having it be taken off the air waves, or redone to fit a select groups needs.

After all these problems with the general public, it has been said that Interscope records is going to release a toned down version of the video. It has also been rumored that they will release the single but only for one week. This could go both ways; if it runs for just a week then more people will go out and buy it because it is risky, or it will hurt the singles sales.

Whatever happens, happens and by no means can I stop this. I just wish that the arguments about musician censorship should not be an issue. Musicians should be able to express themselves to an extent. There is nothing wrong that is going on in Mansons video, no sexual organs are shown, it’s nothing more that a viewer would see in an R-rated movie. Manson has done the needed legal jargon but yet he will always loose the battle of freedom of expression.