NationStates Jolt Archive

Following my experience with the Musical Appreciation Act and the feedback I received, I have come up with a far superior alternative that I will appreciate comments on.

Resolved, that the United Nations supports and encourages the promotion of all forms of artistic and intellectual expression.

These forms include, but are not limited to:

1. Musical expression, whereas music is defined as rhythms and/or melodies and may be sung, hummed, tapped, whistled, or played with a musical instrument as forms of expression.

2. Visual expression, defined as painting, sculpturing, drawing, frescoing, sketching, designing, carving, cartooning, and other forms of creating visual works of art.

3. Intellectual expression, defined as writing, reading, publishing, public speaking, the composition or writing of music, poetry, debate, scientific research, intellectual discovery, exploration, invention, exchange of ideas, philosophy, logic, thought, and communication.

4. Theatrical expression, defined as the production and viewing of motion pictures, forms of dance, plays, musicals, concerts, comedy routines, dramatic performances, television programs, video productions, radio broadcasts, and other public performances.

The United Nations, recognizing the positive impact of these forms of expression, hereby affirms the right of the citizens of all member states to express themselves in the public domain.

Taking into account the sovereign rights of all individual member states, and recognizing the legitimate concerns of sovereign nations, the United Nations hereby approves the right of all United Nations members to censor selected works or forms of expression, provided that the cause of censorship be legitimate, and in the interest of discouraging violent, lewd, vulgar, or criminal behaviors.

Violation of this resolution by any member state shall result in the levying of sanctions upon the violating nation.

Introduced by the Democratic States of Armandium, September 26, 2004.

Sirloinia respecfully opposes this resolution.

It is too broad. It includes many activities within "intellectual expression". We, for instance, restrict the rights of scientists with respect to invention and exploration, as there are forbidden technologies which we do not allow research into.

As the exemption only provides for violent, criminal and lewd behaviour, these technologies would become unregulatable under this resolution as I understand it.

I think you have the right idea, but the wrong language.

I am willing to accept that no UN member should be permitted to restrict the freedom of expression of it's people, and prohibit various forms of art and literature.

But to ask us to promote all forms - and I take promote as endorse and encourage - is asking a bit much. For example there are various forms of music that incite hatered of various types (homophobia, racism, sexism, religious intolerence etc) and, while I have no desire to stop people listening to them, or to make them illegal, my government is not going to encourage people to listen to them or condone their contents.

I think you have the right idea, but the wrong language.

I am willing to accept that no UN member should be permitted to restrict the freedom of expression of it's people, and prohibit various forms of art and literature.

But to ask us to promote all forms - and I take promote as endorse and encourage - is asking a bit much. For example there are various forms of music that incite hatered of various types (homophobia, racism, sexism, religious intolerence etc) and, while I have no desire to stop people listening to them, or to make them illegal, my government is not going to encourage people to listen to them or condone their contents.

Agreed. While I won't outlaw White Power music and the like, I certainly won't promote them.

Good idea for a resolution, though, Armandium.