The Absurdity Of Censorship

     Everyone has heard about the controversy over the rewriting of the books by Mark Twain. Because the dreaded "N" word was used in the tales of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, the books have recently been redone using different words. instead of the "N" word, slave was used. Instead of "Injun Joe", it's now Indian Joe. Just plain ridiculous if you ask me. Now comes a new round of absurdity.

      In 1985, British rock group "Dire Straits" came out with their biggest hit, "Money For Nothing". Since it's release, it garnered the following ...

• Billboard #1 single September 21 - October 5, 1985


• 1986 - Grammy for Record of the Year


• 1986 - American Music Award for Record of the Year


• 1986 - 9 MTV Video Music Awards

     The song was used for everything from the theme song for the WWE wrestling to MTV and has even been parodied by Weird Al Yankovich.

     Now more than 25 years later,  some over-sensitive woman from Newfoundland lodged a complaint  with  the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council  and had the song banned from airplay. Why??? because of 1 little word. Faggot.

     What the hell is wrong with people that they can ban works, whether art, music or video, based on the complaint of 1 narrow minded individual? There are a lot of things that deserve to be censored but a song that's been around for over 25 years is just plain ludicrous.

     If you disagree with the censorship of Money For Nothing, then let them at The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council know. E-mail Ron Cohen at ron@cbsc.ca or phone him at 613-233-4607 ext.#14

     To protest the air-play ban, here is Money For Nothing by dire straits. Uncensored.