Censorship in America

The American Dissident
A Journal of Literature, Democracy & Dissidence
In the Samizdat Tradition of Writing against the Machine
A Forum for Examining the Dark Side of the Academic/Literary Established-Order Milieu

American Censors

Vigorous Debate, Cornerstone of Democracy... But Not Here!
Without deviation, without exception, without any ifs, buts, or whereases, freedom of speech means that you shall not do something to people either for the views they express, or the words they speak or write.

—Chief Justice Hugo L. Black

The following are just a few examples of institutions that reject vigorous debate, cornerstone of democracy. Poets ought to be activists and particularly active in denouncing censorship ("filtering," in the words of Casey Hill, NewPages.com) in their midst. If, by chance, you happen to be First-Amendment ignorant like the leaders of the following organizations, why not educate yourself and break out of that autocratic mold? You could begin by reading through quotes on censorship. Click the links below to read why each of the organizations are listed on this page.

—Academy of American Poets (sponsors of National Poetry Month)

—Chronicle of Higher Education (Art & Letters)
—National Endowment for the Arts (funds only established-order friendly publications)

—NewPages.com (refuses to list The American Dissident on its website)

—Poetry Foundation (refuses to respond to emails and list The American Dissident)

—Poetry Society of America (refuses to dialogue and post alternative viewpoints)

—Poets & Writers, Inc. (refuses to dialogue, post alternative viewpoints, and list The AD)