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I think there is more being said here than "ban it because I don't like it". To ban something simply because it clashes with our own tastes is truly detestible. However, is it wrong to ban something that is potentially harmful to society? Philosophers back to the times of Plato have postulated that the music and entertainment found in a society tends to have a direct effect on the quality of that society itself. This is especially true in regards to the "music" listened to by those still in their formative stages. I believe the question should be whether there reaches a point where types of music become intolerable, not because groups of people dislike how they sound, but rather because they have a negative impact on our culture and society as a whole.

(For the record, I am not arguing that rap should be banned, but rather asking questions which are raised in my mind by this article.)

However, is it wrong to ban something that is potentially harmful to society?

Well, then, let's allow everyone to ban what THEY consider to be harmful to society. So we'll ban drugs, rap music, freon, saccharine, alcohol, tobacco, SUVs, junk food, pesticides, cars in general, houses that are too big, meat, logging, Western civilization, agriculture, and the human race as we know it, because all are considered to be harmful by SOMEONE, and then we can all rest assured that no harm is being done to society, because it won't exist any more.

And how can I make a laundry list of things to be banned without including guns? After all, guns cause billions of dollars of medical bills each year, they actually KILL people and they're really, really scary as well. That 2nd Amendment is just outdated, they didn't have automatic weapons 200 years ago, so private citizens don't need them today. /end gun-grabber emulation mode.

"However, is it wrong to ban something that is potentially harmful to society"?

That is one heck of a good question.(Well,ask yourself, how could Hillary Clinton possibly be allowed to become a U.S. Senator? But I digress) Looking back to the 80's and 90's when Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest (in separate court cases) were sued by the parents of children who listened to "that Heavy Metal Music" as they called it, and claimed the lyrics instructed them to end their own lives ( which in both cases were proven false,of course ), it is my opinion that Rap ( or any music that doesn't ring my ear) as explicit and unappealing as it may be---it is more the lack of discipline/direction by the parent(s) in their kids lives that determine how the child develops.I don't allow that music in my home,know that.But you can't ban music---anyone can create a song and put it online nowadays anyway, but it's my choice to ignore it and spend my money elsewhere.Tipper Gore put labels on CD's in 198?. That's more than enough of a ridiculous action already IMO.