So this category was called "NeoMcCarthyism," but then I realized there was nothing new about this -- It's the same old thing. Perhaps it all happened just long enough ago that many of us don't remember exactly how or why it happened. And that's why I've decided it's so important to revisit history a bit, in order to better evaluate the current events of this modern age.

I think I held off on creating this category for the last few weeks because I didn't want to believe myself that this was really happening.

I first thought I recognized "it" when the Dixie Chicks were banned from all Clear Channel stations for expressing their views. "Gee, isn't that like being blacklisted?" I thought to myself.

I was sure the stench was present when I learned that the actors and actresses presenting and accepting at the Academy Awards had been instructed to not make comments against the Shrub War at this year's awards ceremony. Suddenly, there was a time and a place for such discussion -- and the Academy Awards wasn't it. I can remember when I was a little girl and Vanessa Redgrave accepted her award for "Julia." She sure had a thing or two to say about something that was important to her.

I didn't really understand what was going on, and I asked my mom what she was saying.

"It's complicated," she said. "They always get political in their speeches when they accept their awards. It happens every year."

Her voice was filled with both distain and acceptance, but the message was clear to me: people can say what they want in their speeches, and this is the case because we live in a free country.

Yesterday morning, I heard two acts of self-censorship that helped to clarify the absoluteness of the whole situation:

KTVU On Madonna and "What A Girl Wants" Censorship (Small - 3 MB)
KTVU On Madonna and "What A Girl Wants" Censorship (Hi-res - 36 MB)