Songs have been banned on radio

A group of radio programmers in the us have compiled a list of 150+ songs they deem insensitive due to content. They are banning them from play on their radio stations and suggesting radio stations not play them in light of the recent attacks.
Some of the songs are:
Walk Like An Egytian- The Bangles
EVERY song by Rage Against The Machine (a very political band)
Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm (a michael jackson song)
Any song with lyrics that depict Arabs on airplanes
And many others by groups like U2, The Cure,the Clash, Metallica and many more
The corporate offices of the radio network in question doesnt support the ban, but left the programming decisions to the individual radio stations.

Thoughts, comments from anyone. I agree to being sensitive to the pain that these tragedies have caused, but some of the songs on the list are far from insensitive! This alarms me and reeks of an opportunity to censor artists with a non-conservative point of view expressed by their music. In particular Banning every song by Rage, a group who has spoken out against oppression and injustice.

These attacks have been a oppurtunity for rightwingers and conservatives everywear to increase their power. Especially the CIA pushing for a lifting of the ban on assasinating people abroad.

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Welcome to see my ability
I promised to follow the light
Remember the way to infinity
Hear my voice and cry

Blaming the so called "right wingers" is like blaming all Islamic people for the attacks. Im quite demonstrably a "right winger" some here would say extremely so but I find that those bannings are ridiculous and wouldn't support it at all. Lets leave it at the feet of the people actually doing the banning shall we?

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Disintigration is easy, If you really want to impress me, ReIntegrate it.

I wasnt blameing right wingers for banning songs, i just belive that many politicions of rightwing and conservative views have used this oppurtunity to increase their power. like the CIA pushing for the assaination ban being lifted.

[Kaz]

Originally posted by MagiK: Blaming the so called "right wingers" is like blaming all Islamic people for the attacks. Im quite demonstrably a "right winger" some here would say extremely so but I find that those bannings are ridiculous and wouldn't support it at all. Lets leave it at the feet of the people actually doing the banning shall we?

Um... I believe there is a confusion of the term "right-winger" and "left-winger" here. To me, an extreme right-winger would be a Nazi. An extreme left-winger would be somebody like the... what are they called again... Bade-Meinhoff (sp?) terrorist group.
You, IMHO, are a slightly right-oriented person.
I agree that the bannings are ridiculous. I mean, maybe ban some VERY insensitive songs (like songs about planes crashing into official buildings, for example, if there are any), but not EVERY song which has the word "plane" in it, ok?

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Kazara

Sapphire Dragoness of ALSB
Waitress at Cloudy's Cafe

My two cents.... Banning anything that is potentially offensive is the first step on the road to hell. As it is the choice of the radio stations to broadcast what they will, I don't place this in the same category as government sponsored censorship. If their decision is thought to be extreme by their listeners, they will lose audience share and likely reinstate the tunes. Although I like the fact that people are concerned about others feelings, i think this a bit of an overreaction.

[Istaron]

G'kar, that is really, really sick.

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We call him Bobby Corwen

[Fljotsdale]

No, no bans. Stupid. But radio/tv stations should use common sense and not play some stuff at the moment. You can do that without any need for bans.
Ye gods! Its the very attitude of terrorist regimes!

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[This message has been edited by Fljotsdale (edited 09-18-2001).]

Magik, I see your point about making blanket statements, but with the AG trying to broaden wiretapping laws and the assination executive order being questioned, Dramnek has a point as well. I think we must keep our freedoms and the laws that uphold them intact. Some "rightwingers" would love to limit our freedoms even more in order to impose their views on others. BTW, I'm searching now for an email address attached to these radio programmers, to express my concern that censorship is being implemented beyond the intentions of being insensitive.

[This message has been edited by G'kar (edited 09-18-2001).]

[Staralfur]

It is sad that people are using this tradgedy as an excuse to implement what they believe is right, whether it is radio playlists or assasinations. To me using it in this way shows far less compassion to the situation than the palying of any song or showing of any film.