fandomhigh | SOC 201 and 310 Class Meetings (October 24)

Still looking a little green, Grissom sits down at his desk for a long evening of classes.

Criminology

Grissom remains seated for a Lecture on the Legal Definition of Obscenity.

Discussion: If you were to rewrite the law on obscenity, what would it cover?

Homework: Find a piece of media or writing that has been classified at one point or another as obscene, and be prepared to share your thoughts - if its classification as such was justified or not.

Death and Dying

I hope you read the poem from last class. It helps set the tone for our next section, this time on suicide.

After an intriguing (and short) lecture, Grissom looks for reactions.

Discussion: Did the lecture change your perspective at all on the historical figure in question, and if you are unfamiliar with him, how do you feel about a figure of his importance in a culture expressing those type of thoughts?

Homework: Please find one piece of art/writing/etc. on suicide you can share with the class.

[OOC: Criminology, Grissom is very open-minded, but please link to everything this week to keep the posts fairly work-safe. Remember it is an academic setting, albeit an adventurous one. Death and Dying, I'm keeping the suicide section short as to not upset anyone and it will be all art and lit based for the sake of the muns. If you are uncomfortable - drop a IC note to Grissom and he'll excuse you for the week; he's a nice guy like that.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

John sits down at one of the desks and begins to think about the class discussion assignment.

"If I were to rewrite the definition I think I would try to equalize what the word covers. Today, when most people think of obscenity, they think of something sexual that inspires disgust. While that is very much in the realm obscenity, I would also try and give equal time to focusing on other obscene things such as profanity, the obscenities of war, racism, and censorship. While the sexual side of obscenity is huge, I feel attention should also be paid to the other facets." John laughs a little. "Problem is, that would be a rather long definition, wouldn't it?"

"Legal definitions are often long and detailed for those reasons, although I agree clarity is an issue. Very good thoughts, John. May I ask you - how do you think topics like war, racism, and censorship can be obscene? I am not disagreeing, but I'm interested in the lines you would draw."

"Well, most of the time, I've heard obscenity be described as something that inspires disgust. With things like war, racism, and censorship, certain people are going to find those obscene. People with certan beliefs may think that hatred/discrimination of any kind is disgusting and, therefore, kind racism obscene. Same idea with war. People against war will find disgust in the actions of those for war and those for war might find those against war as obscene and/or unpatriotic, which is a whole other debate."

John stops to take a breath. "While some obscene things can be almost universally agreed upon, a lot of the touchier, hot button subjects will have to be defined by both the points of view they cover."

"Very true. Hence the difficulty with this subject matter in a legal context. Thank you, John."

Cameron takes a seat and has to blow his nose before answering.

"Obscene is a rather relative term. I find some things obscene that other people don't take any offense to," he's definitely thinking of his Ethics assignment now. "It'd probably be ideal to get a whole lot of different people together to sit down and discuss it. I'd try to come up with a law that tries to define it as broadly as possible without taking away basic rights. While acts of obscenity should be discouraged and even punished when it comes to violence, racism and criminal sexual behaviour, you don't want to give anyone the right to arrest a person simply for bad language. Some forms of art and literature would also be considered obscene, but that doesn't mean that we should ban it from our culture on a whim. So I think you'd have to be very careful on how you describe something that is different depending on what person is watching it."

"You are right, we must be exceedingly careful. Thank you, Cameron."

"I don't have a problem with the current definition," Angela says. "I mean, I don't disagree that war or racism can be obscene, but we're talking aboput a legal term for works that aren't protected by the U.S. first amendment, right? And it makes sense to draw that definition as narrowly as we possibly can. it might even, like, include a little too much stuff."

"Excellent grasp of the context, Angela. Thank you."

"Thanks. I might have an advantage in, like, being from here and now, mroe or less."

SOC 201 and 310 Class Meetings (October 24)

CRIMINOLOGY

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