Some of these larger cultural points, you may recall, I made in a recent speech about Hollywood. I made a statement in 1993 and nobody cared, and I made a statement in 1994 and nobody cared. Then I went to Hollywood and made a statement, and a lot of peop le cared. At the time I was faulted for not knowing enough about popular culture. In fact, they wanted me to be a movie critic. I never did want to be a movie critic. I don't want to even see some of the movies that they have out there, and you don't want to see the movies either, and you don't want to hear the CDs. I was accused of not having seen enough racy movies, or having listened to enough rap songs. I don't know how many of you took out time last night to watch the MTV awards show on television la st night. I did. But I understand, from someone who did - remain anonymous - that a few folks found it necessary to personally attack me. They don't want to be shamed, they don't want to be singled out, they don't want to be named. It's all right for them to attack us. But we can't protect our First Amendment rights. We have the right to express outrage. That's a First Amendment right. We don't have to sit idly by, we can express outrage!
Now, in my book it's OK to attack Bob Dole. I've been attacked by experts - and some who aren't experts - and some who want to be experts. But it's not OK to advocate the attacking of women or police officers, as do the lyrics of some rap songs. And I may not be an authority on pop culture, but I think I do know something about public responsibility. I do know something about simple decency. Like most Americans, I do know the difference between freedom and license, and between the artistic and the obscene, between Michelangelo and Mapplethorpe, for example.
But let me tell you, we learn something from the Hollywood controversy. It turns out, a little shame goes a long way. The same thing happened last month in those Calvin Klein ads featuring teenagers in very suggestive positions. People spoke up. Many in this audience spoke up. And the ads were promptly pulled. No one suggested censorship, nobody called for government action. It turns out neither course was necessary. We just had to make it a little harder for irresponsible people to live with themselves. And that's an obligation you have and I have, and all Americans have, and I hope we'll continue it. See what happens when you express your outrage? When you use your First Amendment rights?