Should art ever be censored?

Question:

Should art ever be censored?

Should art ever be censored even if it could be offensive and it's displayed in the general public?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The problem is not in censorship its in the definition of what is art. Some people consider obscene or offensive things art where others call them pornography. Some things passing for art now days are completely ridiculous. Its a tough call. No, never. no. either everything is ok or nothing is as far as art is concerned
take Andres Serrano's pictures for example, i think they're great Art should never be censored.

...unless it stands in my path of world domination. Yes - of course. Yer man above hasn't thought this through further than all that clap-trap about free expression yahdy yahdy yah.

If there is no censorship - how long would it be before someone tried to display something that most of us sane people would find obscene - like child pornography, for instance. The censorship issue raised it's head when films purporting to be "snuff" were launched onto the market place.

I, for one, expect society to protect our children from things like this and that is why there needs to be censorship. Yes, there should be some kind of control over it. Some so-called "art" is truly decadent and the people who make it are clearly decadent too. (Take the 'cross-section of a cow" thing, just one instance). And if it's not the taxpayer that's funding them, it's one of these billionaire's hobby-Foundations.

Bear in mind we are not necessarily just talking about pornography or indecency. We are talking about 'art' in a much broader sense. Don't fall into that trap, guys.

And, equally important, who would do the censoring? Corrupt politicians? Awry sociologists? Art 'experts'???? never, art is an expression. . . it should be free and never censored There is no simple answer to this.

To answer this question, one should ask by whom the art might be censored. It should not be the intention of the federal government to censor art. An argument could be made that works of art are covered by the doctrine of freedom of speech. There are exceptions, such as artwork that is placed on public property that is deemed to be propaganda or promotes religions or contains content that is racist or hateful in nature.

Although obcenity is difficult to define, there is reason to censor art to be displayed where it will cause offense to children. It is also appropriate for schools to have a say about what is appropriate to display in classrooms.