Censorship or Simple Behavioral Modification?

So Russel Simmons got a bunch of rap music execs together last week to discuss language, stereotypes, and so forth in the content of the genre. No consensus was reached, but it was the very rare rappers meeting where no one got shot (yet).

Today, Simmons called for a ban on three words, in particular: bitch, ho, and nigger. He emphasized that this was "...not about censorship," but "corporate social responsibility of the industry to voluntarily show respect..." I couldn't agree more.

I was going to make a post concerning this in the comics community a few weeks back after reading about the anger some cartoonists expressed over the whole Mohammed's image row in the latest TCJ, but I moved on to other topics and it slipped my mind.

Basically, many people believe that by artists and other creators voluntarily agreeing not to depict the prophet, Mohammed (blasphemy to Muslims), they are opting for "self-censorship" at the price of their freedom of expression. Kind of a, "If we don't depict the prophet Mohammed's image, the terrorists have won" mentality. I understand the argument, but I find it silly in this case - as well as in the case of rap - for one very important reason:

In both cases, it's literally just a matter of respect.

Black people, women, and Muslims are simply asking that others respect their feelings and beliefs; nothing more, nothing less. While Muslims are extremists who use terrorist actions to insist on their desires, it doesn't mean that their request isn't valid (and that's a generality, not a stereotype; "peaceful" Muslims are, by far, in the minority). This is the same as disagreeing with someone's politics but not taking every opportunity to bring it up and argue the point; it's simple respect.

Our modern culture has ingrained in us the idea that any argument without shock value or in-your-face tactics is a weak one; if we aren't willing to "go the distance" and "take a stand" every chance we get, then we obviously aren't passionate about what we claim to believe in. And that's just not true. In fact, it's quite the opposite.

I have far more respect for the homosexual who simply prefers the company of his own gender than the homosexual who wears a rainbow T-shirt covered in buttons with inflammatory sayings and insists on prissing about with a jambox blaring, "It's Raining Men." I have far more respect for the career woman who thanks me for holding the door for her than the "feminist" who takes time out of my busy day to verbally accost me for the same.

Face it: ours is a society of disrespect and whenever we are asked - whether politely or not - to "reign it in" a bit, we're all too quick to play the "censorship" card. And regardless of what many of the people who think otherwise might say, being respectful and being censored are two completely different things.

Further, if you can't make your point without resorting to shock tactics and insulting the opposition, then you're not that good at whatever you do anyway. Look at Jon Stewart.