Banning books

[yalonde]

I DO NOT agree with banning a book. It is no one's right, but mine to tell me what I can read or think! Society already tells us how to act, but to control what we read is wrong. I believe they ban books as a way of trying to control what others think! Thinking that if we don't read some one else's ideas, then we wont believe that they are saying and think in that manner as well. I could go on and on about this, but let me stop right now.

-- 06 Mar 2014, 14:33 --

I don't understand why anyone should ban a book, fiction or non-fiction.

I do agree that banning a book like Huckleberry Finn because it uses the N igger word is silly and unrealistic - the book was written a long time ago and reflects the language and concepts of the time and place in which it was written.
Surely we can still enjoy reading it and at the same time, recognize that those words and concepts are not acceptable today

However, at the risk of sounding like a stuck record in yet another thread - yes I can understand why some books are banned.

Those which promote illegal activity, for example.

Let me re-phrase my point: Do people think child pornography in any form, should be legal?

If your answer is No, then you are also in favour of banning some books (and films,magazines etc)

When you put it that way, it causes me to rethink my opinion, to some point. I do not agree with banning the written word, but pictures that physically hurts others should be banned. I guess I could say that some written words may exploit others, but I would not ban it because it is someone's opinions. Everyone is free to believe what they want.

[Aussie-reader]

When you put it that way, it causes me to rethink my opinion, to some point. I do not agree with banning the written word, but pictures that physically hurts others should be banned. I guess I could say that some written words may exploit others, but I would not ban it because it is someone's opinions. Everyone is free to believe what they want.

Yes, everyone is free to believe and think what they want - however thinking things tends to lead to doing them - so, it is not illegal to think about making a bomb and blowing people up but it is illegal to do it.
It is not illegal to have sexual thoughts towards children but it is illegal to act on them.
It is not illegal to have racist thoughts but it is illegal to incite hate crimes.

So I think it is fair enough to ban written material, with or without pictures, that promotes such activities.

[lse322]

I feel like banning books stunt peoples imaginations and there will to read. A portion of the books that are banned inspire the usage of imagination in thinking up settings on where the book is taking place. It also makes people scared to read too because if some books are banned how do I know that this one won't be banned too.

[Aussie-reader]

. It also makes people scared to read too because if some books are banned how do I know that this one won't be banned too.

Really?

The fact that child pornography, for example, is banned does not make me scared that a book I borrow from the library or buy from a shop or the istore might be banned.

Unless I am getting hold of books by illegal means, why would I think the book I want to read is banned?

[prarich]

Each case can be contextual.

[jechamer]

There's several good points for banning books noted in this thread, and I do agree that in certain cases such as those noted and where there's a REAL national security concern (not just because the FBI or CIA thinks there is), it definitely needs to be considered. However, its a very slippery slope and all too often is decided very subjectively. Before any book or type of book is banned, there should be alot of discussion about the pros and cons.

[LadyDi6259]

But who is to decide which books are banned? Is there going to be requirements of what is a good book and what is banned? As a parent I agree that it is my responsibility to monitor what my child reads. But I feel my child should have every opportunity to read the same books that I did. I'm not racist because I read Tom Sawyer. And I read all the Harry Potter books, but it don't believe that I can fly on a broom. You read for entertainment and to learn about a time before you were born. By banning, we are missing an important part of our history.

[W-Harbinger]

I believe each case has to be carefully considered. I would completely agree with banning a book that promotes something that's completely immoral and outright illegal. I'm talking about a book that gives step-by-step instruction on how to document the capture and sexual torture of a minor in the explicit intent of getting the reader off. To me, that's just some sick perverted fantasy that doesn't need to see the light of day.

Now, if it's a book that has a minor being sexually tortured as part of an overall plot, like a scene leading up to the capture of said perpetrator because it's a crime story? I'm okay with that.

[cam_gold]

I don't know about book banning. It does not seem constitutional to me. At the same time, I believe that if certain books are allowed in the schools, no student should be forced to read a book that violates his/her family values and religious beliefs. Being allowed the right to choose whether to read a book or not has nothing to do with censorship; however, making the decision for others definitely is.

[krisssy_99]

Book banning ? What a nightmare if it ever came true - thankfully this is not the Dark Ages. Though fact is that books would never be banned in entirety because that would mean a regression in Intellectual growth. The concept of controversial books and Authors being banned in certain countries is well heard of , but the world wide ban of books is never going to happen because there are too many book lovers out there and it would lead to a huge Revolution of sorts if such a thing were to happen.

On a lighter note, if I stretch my imagination and think of a scenario where all books are banned because the 'Umbrella Corporation" created a virus that nullified our brains, I'l get all my books and whatever other books I can collect and save, and run off to some isolated island somewhere and live happily in their company until i die or maybe become a ninja and fight for the Book Revolution.

[Aussie-reader]

I don't think anyone is talking about a 'world wide ban of all books', Krissy

Just about banning certain books and if so, which ones - which, like a stuck record, I do agree with the banning of certain books, for the reasons I have outlined upthread.

[MasonHerder]

I'm not sure that the United States gas any bans on books, and for the most part the U.S is one of the only nations offering full freedom of speech and press.

[Aussie-reader]

Child pornography is legal in the United States?????

If so, then yes, I accept your statement.

If not, then you do have some banning in place and therefore not total freedom of press.

(I imagine hypothetical books like "Explicit instructions on how to make a bomb to blow up thousands of people" are also illegal - at any rate, am certainly glad they would be in Australia)

[kiwes]

I do not believe in banning any books regardless as to their subject matter. I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of expression, and although there are tons of books I feel don't add much to the literary world other than to be brought forth for personal gain, I still protect the author's right to write them. To me, if a person "bans" a book, that's the equivalent of banning the right to breath. It's that serious to me. I do not feel any book should be banned--that's the same as killing an art form, and I can't agree with that nor do I condone it.

[Aussie-reader]

I believe in safety and non-exploitation of children, that's as important as the right to breathe and far more important than the rights of paedpophiles to exploit children - therefore I do not think child pornography should be legal.
Killing the 'art form' of child pornography is fine by me.

I believe in the safety of minority groups and the safety of the public from crazed bombers - that's as important as the right to breathe and far more important than the rights of crazy haters to read how to make bomb books.

In a community, rights of some people need to be balanced against the rights of others - therefore some material does need to be banned.