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Table of Contents National Campaign for Freedom of Expression Conclusion Appendix I: What To Do If it Happens to You Appendix III: Sample Documents
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CONCLUSION Very few artists imagine themselves in a censorship debate. And rarely do they anticipate the insults and innuendos that give censorship its demeaning theatrics. To foster an atmosphere of creative thinking it is important to understand that artistic endeavor is reliant upon equal parts courage and talent. I am confident that this handbook will provide the necessary tools to override the backlash that corrodes our confidence in a censorial exchange. And perhaps more importantly, to intercept the argument before it begins. As an artist and President of the board of NCFE, there is no doubt in my mind that this guide will be an immeasurable asset to free expression for years to come. “Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime. Long ago those who wrote our First Amendment charted a different course. They believed a society can be truly strong only when it is truly free. In the realm of expression they put their faith, for better or for worse, in the enlightened choice of the people, free from interference of a policeman’s intrusive thumb or a judge’s heavy hand. So it is that the Constitution protects coarse expression as well as refined, and vulgarity no less than elegance. A book worthless to me may convey some value to my neighbor. In the free society to which our Constitution has committed us, it is for each to choose for himself.”—Justice Potter Stewart, Ginzburg v. United States, 383 U.S. 463 (1966) (dissenting)
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