BANNED MEDIA MONTH #13: The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson (1948)
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Though it's a classic short story and a staple of American English courses, The Lottery has been banned by both school districts and an entire nation.
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January 2017: BANNED MEDIA MONTH
Free speech is often lauded as a vital human right. However, this right is not absolute, and generally you aren't allowed to say things that are considered 'dangerous'. What constitutes 'dangerous' depends on where you go, though, and one person's artistic expression is another person's profanity. So, we're going to be taking a look at banned media from around the world for the month of January (or Banuary, if you will). The following culture recommendations are works of art that are considered so dangerous in some parts of the world, groups and governments will imprison or hurt you if they find you possess them.
Important Editor Disclaimer:
Much like our friends over at Ubisoft working on Assassin's Creed, Sevencut Productions features people (and one dog) from all walks of life with all kinds of beliefs and ideals. The views of the writer do not represent the views of Sevencut Productions. These posts are to facilitate civil discussion. While we will try our best not to, we do need to say that we reserve the right to take down any posts abruptly and at our own discretion. Keep it clean.
BANNED MEDIA MONTH #12: Scarface: The Shame of the Nation, by Howard Hawks (1932)
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Before Hollywood started enforcing its self-imposed moral standard known as the Hays Code, Scarface shocked audiences with its violence to the point that several states and cities outright forbid it from playing.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #11: Frankenchrist, by Dead Kennedys (1985)
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While Frankenchrist features long songs condemning American culture, it was a poster included with the record that landed Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra and label manager Michael Bonanno in court with an obscenity charge.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #10: Boiled Angel #1-8, by Mike Diana (1991)
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Mike Diana knew his violent underground comic Boiled Angel didn't fit into his community of Largo, Florida, but he couldn't imagine that it would eventually get him arrested for obscenity.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #9: Raise the Red Lantern, by Zhang Yimou (1991)
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In 1991 Raise the Red Lantern received international praise for its story about the concubine system in 1920s China, but the Chinese government saw it as a subtle condemnation of authoritarian rule.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #8: Credo, by Arvo Pärt (1968)
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Estonian music composer Arvo Pärt was blacklisted by the Soviet musical establishment for putting his spirituality into his songs.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #7: L'Origine du monde, by Gustave Courbet (1866)
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One of the most banned paintings in the world was considered so shocking, the original owner kept it hidden behind a curtain. It wasn't displayed publicly for over 100 years, and even today police sometimes confiscate books bearing its image. What could this painting be of to cause such intense reactions?
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #6: The Great Dictator, by Charlie Chaplin (1940)
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On the cusp of World War II, one of the world's greatest comedians decided to condemn fascism by lampooning one of the world's most powerful leaders.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #5: Fanny Hill, by John Cleland (1748)
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Humans have been writing smut for thousands of years, from obscene poems to dirty folk songs. But when the first erotic novel was written in 18th century England, it caused such a stir that the courts banned it for over 200 years.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #4: This is Not a Film, by Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb (2011)
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When an artist cannot create, what do they do? Some will sit idle, waiting for their circumstances to change. Others will abandon their creative pursuits altogether, in favor of something less punishing. But some, like acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, will struggle to keep creating.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #3: Music From Saharan Cellphones, by Sahel Sounds (2011)
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The African country of Mali has a long, rich musical tradition that still pervades its culture. This compilation album features the best music that was popular in Mali, before extremist Muslims banned it.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #2: Der Krieg, by Otto Dix (1924)
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When Otto Dix returned home from the Great War, he was haunted by recurring nightmares. While many German artists were focused on the glory of combat, Dix depicted its horrors.
Read MoreBANNED MEDIA MONTH #1: The Last Temptation of Christ, by Martin Scorsese (1988)
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Martin Scorsese wanted to show a more human side to Jesus. A lot of Christians took that as doubting his holiness.
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