I beleive that one of the factors in the recent Iraninan election was the recent ban on Western Music, or more specifically that the people of Iran rejected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's decree that they should not listen to western Music.
Sure there were other factors, but banning music is something no one likes. The underground music market is thriving and Ahmadinejad just lost his election...
In America music is protected by the first amendment, sadly not every country is so lucky. I beleive that one of the factors in the recent Iraninan election was the ban on Western Music, or more specifically that the people of Iran rejected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's decree that they should not listen to western Music. Although the ban did not happen recently it did occur during his tenure and I'm sure it has been on the people's minds, as just another example of why they don't like him.
Before we look at why they banned music how about some history first. Oh stop the groaning, you know you want it. Our current history starts about thirty years ago. In his break through report entitled "Can you stop the birds singing?" The censorship of music in Afghanistan, Dr John Baily writes:
Music censorship has been gradually imposed on Afghanistan since Nur Ahmad Taraki's communist government came to power in a violent coup d'etat in 1978. During fourteen years of communist rule, and during the Rabbani period (1992-1996), music was heavily controlled, while in the refugee camps in Pakistan and Iran all music was prohibited in order to maintain a continual state of mourning. The roots of the extreme Taliban ban on music lie in the way these camps were run.
Another reason to hate the communists, not that killing 600 million people was enough to hate a form of political thought, but for those who still like it remember no music.
Under Taliban rule the people of Afghanistan are subjected to almost total music censorship, under which the only musical activity permitted is the singing of certain types of religious song and Taliban "chants" - panegyrics to Taliban principles and commemorations of those who have died on the field of battle.
You'd think that they would have stopped after we blew up in 2001. However as reported by the AP
On 30 June 2005, ten shops mostly selling movie and music tapes were damaged in a bomb explosion in Miramshah. The blast took place in the Gharhay Mandi bazaar following a warning by tribal militants against the sale and purchase of VCRs, CDs and music tapes on the audio and video. Four of the shops were badly damaged.
When we will they stop?
What would drive anyone to ban music? Well for starters the World Court ruled that forcing people to listen to Brintey Spears consitutes torutre. (Anyone forced into listening to her or most pop music will agree that it is definetly hard on the ears.) Johnny Clegg has said: "Censorship is based on fear." But that begs the question; why fear music?
Music can be a threat to power. Music is experssion, music is creativity music is critical thinking, music is free and can not be shackled by laws. Music expresses tradition, dreams, joys and aspirations. They bring ideas that might be outside the general public's knowledge or thought process and shoves it in their faces. Music gives a voice to emotions and feelings, it allows those who can not formulate their ideas into proper sentences to articulate what they want. Music allows different culutures and people to share information.
Iran has been afraid of the power of music, but the ban has not stopped music. The people of Iran still buy music, just now it is on the black music. People still listen to Afgani music, as for music by the Taliban, well it is gone. Music should not be stopped because it offends some people. Music should not be censored so life can be more pleasant. Music is freedom.
Actually, music probably wasn't on as many people's mind as I would like to think it was. A good parabole would be the ban by the 109th congress on online gambling. The ban riled a lot more people then it appeased and it was a shining example of what was wrong with Republicans, but was not a major reason why people voted against the Republicans. I am sure there were people who voted against the Republicans because of the ban on gambling but I'm sure that it wasn't a major factor. I am sure that the censorship of music in Iran was just another reason for the people to vote against Ahmadinejad.
I think Apollo Forty Four said it the best, "You can't stop the rock." So you should just stop trying.