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Show a? ITS SNI5I Vial Our Fellow Americans, - By Nadia Asidawy Your baby is born with flippers. Your brother has Proteus syndrome, like the Elephant Man. Your mother has an unusually scaly epidermis. In the old days, these people would be locked away in some kind of basement or crawlspace, so that their "abnormalities" wouldn't offend the prudish senses of "polite society". It's a narrative trope that is as least as old as Jane Eyre. You don't like something? Lock it away. Out of sight, out of mind. Today we have protective services and civil liberties unions to make sure that no one is wrongfully sequestering a person simply because "normal" people might find their presence untoward. Yet despite all these measures keeping people from being unduly marginalized, you can't always curb the instinct humans have to censor or shut out things that make them personally uncomfortable. No matter how limply the banner of Common Decency might hang in the proverbial wind, there will always be busybodies attempting to uphold it and force the rest of us to pledge our allegiance to it. We've attempted to corral the Westboro Baptist Church's protests, because we find their message offensive. We still attach stigmas to body modification, despite how middle-class tattoos have become in recent years. We cluck our tongues, shake our heads and decry midget wrestling as exploitive — even if the little people themselves are the ones running it. However, no matter how hard you try, the freaks and scalawags are no longer confined to the sideshow or the basement. They're free to roam where they please. We live in America, damn it. And despite all of the problems with our nation, the one thing we can all still rely on is a ratified First Amendment. Take note: The Constitution doesn't state that whatever anyone says, writes, produces or publishes is mandatory for your perusal. It merely keeps our voices — all of our voices - from being silenced. Remember, that if one thing can be censored, all things can be censored. Those who would stifle someone else in the too-often invoked name of Common Decency should bear that in mind. If you don't like it, ignore it and move on. That's what a grown-up would do. Monday Mar. 7 Music OPEN MIC NIGHT — 7 p.m. at Muse Music, 151 N. University Ave., Provo. MuseMusicOnline.com or 801-377-MUSE. $1. Theater "HAIRSPRAY" — 7:30 p.m. at Hale Center Theater, 225 W. 400 N., Orem. HaleTheater. org or 801-226-8600. $15.50 to $17.50. "NO DOGS ALLOWED" — 7:30 p.m. at Scera Center: Showhouse II, 699 S. State Street, Orem. Scera.org , 801225-ARTS. $4 to $6. Film "LOOK AT ME" — 6:30 p.m. in the Media Auditorium at Orem Public Library, 58 N. State St., Orem. Lib.Orem.org or 801-229-7050. Free. God Bless America, 5204*— Rei44 Eave acrd Wadia thittaagy Editors of The V Visual Art ECLECTIC LETTERS: CALIGRAPHY GUILD EXHIBIT — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Covey Center for the Arts, 425 W. Center St., Provo. CoveyCenter.org or 801-8527007. $10. staff infection UiR iLiiKkE? Education COMMUNITY AND FAMILY NIGHT — 7 — 9 p.m. at Springville Museum of Art, 126 E. 300 S., Springville. SMA.Nebo.edu or 801-4892727. Free. MUSEUM MONDAYS: A NIGHT ON THE EMRALD ISLE — 5 - 7 p.m. Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point, Lehi. ThanksgivingPoint.com or 801-768-2300. $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and children under 12. Other INTEGRATED YOGA CLASS — 6 p.m. at the Krishna Temple, 311 W. 8500 S., Spanish Fork. UtahKrishnas.org or 801-7983559. Free. CONTINUES ON PAGE 6 "A comprehensive mural of DANCES WITH WOLVES. Also, a comprensive mural of THE TWILIGHT SAGA in the style of "Three Wolf Moon." —Lex Bourgeous, News Writer "I would only get one if I get published. It would be ink and a quill on my left wrist with my publication date." —Mindy Harward, Culture Editor "Invisible ink." —Mike Sanborn, Assistant Opinions Editor "All of the characters of FINAL FANTASY I on my back or just the black wizard. I want them on my lower back." —Jarom Moore, Assistant News Editor "'If you can see this, you must be a really good friend." —Matt Peterson, Copy Editor "A barcode on my right arm. I want to be prepared for our eventual enslavement." —Rob Steffen, Video Producer "My recently departed mom's signature, starting from my heart wraping around my back." —Andrea Whatcott, News Editor "The classic hearts and roses. Those are the ones I'm into." —Celeste Tholen Rosenlof, Opinions Editor 4 Lim ICE Editor-in-chief of the UVU Review David Self Newlin newlinda@uvu.edu Editors of The V Lead Designer Nadia Ashtawy neman996@gmail.com Audrey Moore John-Ross Boyce jrboyce@gmail.com Send story tips to tips@uvureview.com |