As I was watching the Super Bowl halftime show this year, I entered into a state of shock. Paul McCartney's first song, \Drive My Car""-with it's fabulous chorus, ""Beep-beep, beep-beep yeah""-moved me to tears (from laughter). Everyone at my dorm's Super Bowl party could hardly wait for it to be over.
The choice to have a more conservative show this year, a reaction to last year's performance in which millions of Americans saw Janet Jackson's breast, was disappointing. Currently there are many artists to choose from-The Black Eyed Peas, Usher and No Doubt, to name a few-who could have successfully and tastefully performed. However, it is beginning to appear that the moral majority wanted to save us all from modern music and used last year's performance as ammunition.
As we are entering the 21st century Americans are increasingly splitting over modern culture. The Wisconsin State Journal prints the lyrics to three popular songs every Sunday so parents will know what their children are listening to. Song lyrics, which most people can't even understand, are being increasingly scrutinized.
A few months ago a family member told me that she would no longer listen to certain songs once she found out what their lyrics were. When I told her that I enjoy listening to Evanescence (a few of the songs are about suicide) and Eminem she was horrified even though the lyrics clearly don't have an impact on me. These arguments are just an attempt to make a more ""moral"" society.
Once music can effectively be censored the real concerns can be addressed, the current ones being abortion, gay marriage and religion in schools. When these are taken care of America will be ""saved"" from damnation.
Yet these issues are full of hypocrisy. One of the foremost opponents of abortion is the woman who was the subject of Roe v. Wade. Americans are very supportive of marriage as long as it is between a man and a woman. We pride ourselves on the freedom of religion our country offers and the rights of parents to raise their children in a religion of their choosing or no religion at all, yet we want children to pray in schools.
The worst part of this movement is the superiority its followers claim. Someone who is pro-life, pro-family and religious is seen as far superior to a woman who had an abortion, someone who is a member of the LGBT community or an atheist. These people are not affecting anyone else, yet many feel they should be stopped.
When ""morals"" are being used to degrade those who hold different values and legal attempts are being made to force them to conform our society is clearly headed for disaster.
We must fight for our freedom to make these choices. While you may not agree with abortion or same-sex marriage, does that give you the right to force someone else to abide by your beliefs? Should someone have to pray just because you do?
Although right now we are starting with small issues like music, by squelching people's freedom of expression we are endangering our right to choose on issues that are far more important. Jackson's decision to reveal her breast was inappropriate. However, that doesn't mean that we need to do a complete turn around and create a puritanical society.
The problems in our society should not be solved by curtailing the rights of certain citizens just because some people think those choices are immoral. It is time that we embrace our differences to create a more accepting society rather than allowing ourselves to be divided. Perhaps the real problem in America isn't our differences, but simply our refusal to accept them.
Micaela Frudden is a junior majoring in accounting.
