Censorship by Margot Justes

With age comes wisdom and tolerance, at least that is what they say, whoever they are. Well, I find my intolerance for censorship is growing, not diminishing with age.

We accept the most brutal, disgusting and gory displays of our bodies in books, games and television, the more horrific the better, yet a look at a nude picture or painting puts us in a tizzy. Why?

We all come in different shapes and sizes, and we are all beautiful in our own way. The human body is magnificent it its complexity and function.

When I first saw Goya's the Naked Maja, in the Prado Museum in Madrid, I thought about the beautiful shape of the woman, the skin tone colors the artist used, the comfort of the model lavishly displayed on ruffled pillows, the sensual depiction of the female body. All masterfully portrayed by a magnificent talent. That is what I saw. I did not see depravity or pornography. I saw a beautiful painting.

I understand making a choice, if it offends me I don't buy the book, watch the show, or go to that movie. I make the decision to vote with my pocketbook. I make the choice for me alone. I let others choose. I do not tell them what to read, see or look at.

Censorship is wrong. I'm amazed that as an adult someone will have the right to tell me what to read, or what to look at. It should be my choice.

Recently a fb friend showed a nude picture and some were offended, a naked body...my goodness. My response to the offended individuals don't look, but allow me to make my own decision on whether I find it offensive or not.

So much for my 2012 resolution to be more tolerant, in this case, it's not going to happen.
However, hopefully I'll stick to a semblance of a diet. So far that's not looking too good either...ah well, God willing there is always another year.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris
www.mjustes.com