Book banning in America is a bogus issue used by leftists to tear down our American institutions and denigrate our traditional values
Last week was Banned Books Week, and the social libertines were out in full force. From the website:
Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. [...]
People challenge books that they say are too sexual or too violent. They object to profanity and slang, and protest against offensive portrayals of racial or religious groups--or positive portrayals of homosexuals.
Yes. Nice summary. I don't want these adult perverts peddling homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian screeds, and sex and violence to my children. I am also against censorship. The two views are not incompatible...
See how liberalism works?
They take the legitimate issue of enforcing community standards, conflate it with book banning, and conjure the specter of America as Nazi Germany censoring, burning and silencing.
The reality is more benign
By the organization's own admission, the top 10 most-challenged books are challenged in a school or public library environment because they are not age appropriate. And most are trash anyway, not a classic among them.
No one is challenging the right to publish and peddle trash in this country, a casual glance around proves that. This is about parents maintaining control over what is introduced to their children.
If a teacher introduced pornography and graphic battlefield narratives to my first grader and I protested, I would be considered pro-censorship to these people.
I love books and I do not want my government committing First Amendment violations. And guess what? Removing a book from schools or public libraries based upon community standards is not censorship.
An author has no legal right to have her book placed in a school or community library, and community members have no right to find there any book they desire. Indeed, if it were otherwise, every public library would be legally required to stock every book; a clearly unreasonable standard.
Judgments must be made. Some books are in and some are out.
Removing or restricting a book from a public library does not silence the author and it does not prevent people from acquiring the book by some other means. This is about the right time and proper place.
Parents and responsible adults have a duty to introduce only age-appropriate material to our youngsters. I decide what's appropriate for my children, not some hippie pedo-perv or oversexed woman marketing her teen sex fantasies to high schoolers.
Want to talk censorship? When is the last time someone was allowed to read a bible or say a prayer out loud in a public school?
http://bannedbooksweek.org/index.html
Time - Banned Books
17 comments:
homosexual propaganda and anti-Christian screeds. All is found in ancient greek philosophy and literature.
Yours is a patently false statement.
Ancient Greece predates Christ, so how can their writings be "anti-Christian."
I would hardly label any of the Greek literature I have read a "screed."
complex issue ...thanks for taking it on!..Busy weekend for a change..hope youre doin well!!:)
"Want to talk censorship? When is the last time someone was allowed to read a bible or say a prayer out loud in a public school?"
That's what I would like to know.
I have never been one that supported book burning. My love for books would prevent me from doing that.
I know there is a lot of garbage being printed, but the government or anyone else does not have the right to dictate what we can or cannot read on our free time.
I could really go more into depth about the schools, but then I will just get angry.
Leticia: My sentiments exactly regarding books. Saying I don't want the school introducing my kids to the homosexual indoctrination book "and tango makes three" is not censorship.
I don't want the book burned and banned from the face of the earth, I just don't want my kids school and our local library programs to use it.
Look at that top 10 list, Kite Runner is the only one with any redeeming literary value, IMHO, and even that book is appropriate only perhaps for HS seniors. I am not saying it's a bad book, it's a good book. It just deals with themes that many adolescents are not yet emotionally ready for.
I am also against sensorship but controling what is introduce into the educational system is what is needed. Homsexualithy should be introduced into sexual education because that it where it lies. The same consideration should be given to Christianity in its many forms and along with the other beliefs. Freedom is what needs to be recognized.
Both views are acceptable when they are applied properly.
Redneck Ron: I agree. Very cogent, reasoned opinion. Are you sober?
Yes I am sober but that does not detract our lack of soberity condition when we get together again for your grillin lessons. I promise not to crack your ribs again.
"Want to talk censorship? When is the last time someone was allowed to read a bible or say a prayer out loud in a public school?"
Always! It's not my fault other Americans think of them as cooky for doing it.
So... You only want the greek people who are theistic and non-homosexual? Ban the rest?
The Greek classics should be studied by all. I don't understand your point. Please elaborate...
The Greeks, and especially the Athenians are known for their homosexuality and tolerance for homosexuality - if not encouragement.
Should we not read them?
What about Epicurus? He was an atheist and has made one of the most compelling argument against the existence of any God/s.
This is an either or thing. Either you're against censorship (in all its forms) or you're not.
censorship really sucks--Ihammer cp and my posts disappear. I feel that is blog is run by communist.
CP your still ______ and you lack maturity and see things through eyes a ______.
CP: False dichotomy. I am against censorship and that does not conflict with my insistence that children be given only age-appropriate material.
Would you show Natural Born Killers or Full Metal Jacket to grade schoolers?
Saying no does not constitute censorship.
I certainly don't want to ban any of the Greek classics. So some were fags? Big deal. I'm sure the authors of today could learn from them how to treat the subject properly.
I wouldn't show them those movies, but I would allow them to have access to them.
Parents can censor their children as much as they please at home. In school they're amongst the straight, queer, liberal, conservative, etc... public. It is only right and only natural that the literature at the school would mirror this diversity as well.
The bible is quite possibly the most violent book in history. Should that be censored in regards to grade-schoolers?
Ah, now you're talking context, which goes back to time and place. There are some parts of The Bible that, when properly understood and explained, are not appropriate for a youngster, but it is presented in a way that is neither graphic nor scandalous, same with the Greeks.
btw, if you think The Bible is possibly the most violent book in history you obviously don't read much, but that's beside the point.
I don't read horror stories. Even still I'd like you to name a more violent one.
Anything in the Richard Blade series, Stephen King...
Silly challenge.
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