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The Power of Music and Censorship

BACKGROUND AND TWO SHORT READINGS:

Does music have power? Can it alter moods in people? Can it cure disease, or can it cause someone to commit suicide? Can music be used to aid in committing genocide? These are all viable questions in light of some of the research that goes on in science and in some of the news headlines around the world.

Probably, all of us would agree that listening to "good" music at the end of a stressful day might take us from a bad mood to a good one. If so, that is a clear demonstration of the transformative affects of music; that is, the ability to transform a person's outlook, attitude, mood, experience, and so forth. In that sense, music has power. Some hospitals around the country have instituted the policy of giving new parents CD recordings of classical music to play for there infants. Sure, it may help turn a crying baby into a more tranquil one. Perhaps, more importantly, studies show that music stimulates the brain by creating neural pathways that are easily formed at an early age. Other studies have shown that listening to classical music may possibly increase I.Q. or improve test scores. I'm not sure this means that punk rock makes people less intelligent.

If music has power to do good, can it also have negative effects on listeners? Does rap music instill negative attitudes in some listeners? Unfortunately, I would have to say yes, though the extent to which this is true is difficult to determine. Some people do believe that music has such an effect, which is why some CDs come with a Parental Advisory label, which is a mild form of censorship. Do you know who helped inititate the PA label? It was Al Gore's wife, Tipper.

A student of mine from a previous class told me the story of her husband who was in a coma after a severe automobile accidents. The doctor's prognosis was that if he ever woke from the coma, he would be a vegetable. She refused to believe. Everyday, she played for him his favorite CDs on a portable boom box next to his bed. A couple of weeks later he woke from his coma with all his faculties in tact. The doctors were mystified, but the wife swore up and down it was the music.

I could list several examples of court cases, anecdotes, news reports, claims and so forth that point toward the negative effects of some forms of music and the need for censorship. I don't believe in censorship. At least, that is what I thought until one evening I decided to put to the test my beliefs. I browsed the internet looking for what I thought was music most deserving of censorship, assuming there was music that was possible that "bad." The candidates at the top of the list was the rap group NWA whose song, "F--k the Police," stirred up a little controversy among law enforcement, especially in the southern United States. Also, at the top, I would put the punk rocker GG Allin, who at one time wanted to stage a live suicide (or is that an oxymoron?) on stage. Fortunately, the police heard about it ahead of time and intervened.

In my opinion, a well adjusted kid who listens to Marilyn Manson simply because he likes the music will not pick up a gun and shoot his classmates. However, a teen with a predisposition toward violence, neglectful parents, and serious social issues may find some reinforcement for negative behavior in the music of Manson and others. Then music could become the straw that breaks the camel's back. That is perhaps the best explanation for the Columbine shootings. In other words, listening to Manson may reinforce anti social thoughts or dark thoughts of violence or suicide only if those thoughts are already there in the mind.

Assignment: Read the following two articles to learn about the trial of Rhwandan musician Simon Bikindi who was accused and convicted of inciting genocide. As evidence, some of his music was shown in court. Read the following brief article about Bikindi and be familiar with the main points I list after that. Also, browse Google for more information regarding the outcome of the trial.

www.freemuse.org/sw15535.asp

www.freemuse.org/sw31145.asp

NOTE THE FOLLOWING POINTS FROM THE ARTICLES:

Where should the line be drawn between freedom of musical expression and incitement to kill?
Can a musician be held responsible for the actions of others if it can be proven that music helped to incite genocide?
Finding Bikindi guilty of the charges may lead to what unintended consequence when it comes to musicians who write political protest songs?
Can the use of metaphor in songs be interpreted accurately by the listener?
Who did Bikindi consult with before releasing the lyrics of his songs?
What act specifically was the cause of Bikindi's arrest?
Did the court believe that the playing of Bikindi's songs had no affect or an amplifying affect on listener's behaviors?
What is significant about the fact that Bikindi had NO role in the playing of his own songs during the genocide?