When Is A Violent Song Just A Song?

Commentary
First Amendment Watch

By Gene Policinski
First Amendment Center vice president/executive director

Remember that old schoolyard chant, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”?

Well, the part about “words can never hurt me” is not holding true for a growing set of would-be songwriters who have been jailed for writing lyrics that officials deem violent or threatening — even though none of the cases involves any actual violence.