SOME CRITICS CALL rap music sexist, others contend it glorifies or causes violence, and the lyrics of some songs are seen as anti-Semitic, racist, homophobic, or otherwise prejudiced. Believing that many of these songs send harmful messages, some critics call for record companies, musicians, or the government to place restrictions on what artists can say in their lyrics. Others contend that such controls amount to censorship.

The first amendment and censorship

Unfortunately, censorship is very difficult to understand because people have very different ideas about what it is and what it is not. In the United States, the definition of censorship typically hinges upon the interpretation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Among other things, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." Some people believe this should mean that citizens can say whatever...