The trouble with something like this is that the nuances get lost early in the game. Same with ABC's request that newscasters not wear flags on their lapels. Certainly, many of the songs on the list are not objectionable in any way. However, they could pose some problems if played at certain times. At a time like this, broadcasters need to be sensitive about the images they present to people. Would it work well to have a news item about terrorists having flight training, immediately followed by a DJ playing "Leaving on a Jet Plane"? Isn't Sinatra's bouncy recording of "New York, New York" a bit hard to take right now?

Maybe there's no intention to ban anything. Maybe the now-anonymous originator of the list was somebody who wanted to alert DJ's to use a little extra care when playing songs that might evoke misunderstanding.

It's easy to call people stupid, but most people aren't as stupid as we think they are. Was this list originated by a desire for censorship, or for sensitivity?

-Joe Offer-