Banning books

[awelker]

For my college composition class in school we are writing position papers and this is my topic, book banning. what is your opinion of this subject? I think that it is a dumb idea to ban books because is restricts a persons freedom of speech and press.

[LinkPromo]

Argeed. Don't think it happens much anymore unless it;s a communist / dictator country, or a hardcore religious group / society.

[n8gray]

Unfortunately, books are all too often banned, right here in good 'ole pay-tree-otic U-S-of A. harry potter is kept away from christians, and christian communities try to keep them out of schools and libraries... the debate over evolution keeps books out of schools... the government keeps "build your own potato gun" books away from people... granted there is some reasoning behind most arguements, but as a whole, information should be free, especially in the most liberal and free country in the world...with possible exceptions of switzerland and amsterdam.
and as far as practice... i do not think books should be banned, but i also understand their will always be a line there, because kids can't look at porn and a backwoods patriot / junkie of his/her meds can't build a bomb. just common sense. hopefully understanding prevails.

[Mrs_M]

Book banning? This is one of the most foolish acts that human beings are capable of. Just because a book is burnt it does nothing to erase the ideas that the book stirred in people. The new concepts it brought forth will always remain in the public mind. Just read Farenheit 451 if you need further proof of this. Banning Harry Potter in Christian schools is the silliest yet. Harry Potter does not even discuss religion as a part of the magic world! Hogwarts students celebrate Christmas for goodness sakes!! Not some pagan fest! I guess some ignorant fools cannot understand that Ministry of Magic could mean something unreligious like...oh I don't know, how the British Prime Minister is not in fact a faith leader! Banning Harry Potter was the best proof to me that most of the Christian world didn't take time to read it before they protested it. What a sad world we live in. We do enough dumbing down in movies. Don't sensor the literature.

[RKaye422]

As a true and devoted reader of ANYTHING, I certainly don't believe in banning books. Any restrictions of specific material should be left up to parents if the only consideration is of certain things children "shouldn't" see. Books are the key to learning beyond anything else I can think of in this world-they present us with much more than tv, much more than our educators could possibly cover in a lifetime, etc. Besides, censorship of "ideas" is a slippery slope--once you ban one thing, what is the justification for NOT banning the next?

[awelker]

just recently in michigan two high schools have banned or taken books out of the ciriculum. In Howell, Michigan they took Huckleberry Finn out of the classroom becuase a student thought that the use of the n word was to offensive. Another school has banned another book, i don't remember the name, but the banned it because it contained to much sexual and drug related content, when it was written by a teacher and her students. it was about everything that her students and herself have gone through in their lives. it is sad that a good piece of literature and a classsic have been desicrated like this.

[theroneshellman]

I do not believe any book should be banned, no matter how racist or culturally insensitive it may be. I'm black and i've read the book Hitler wrote called My Struggle (The name of the book is in german). And i've read many books by white supremists, theorists etc.

Unfortunately, in the U.S. I am finding that it is not only culturally insensitive books which are being banned. But also books which have sensitive information which the Powers that be do not want the general public to know. Alot of history and psychology books are being banned or they are very hard to find.

[Tech2k]

The problem with the banning of books is that usually the book violates someone's morals, and everyone has different morals. For example a book that promotes racism, should be banned, however I think that because I believe that racism is morally wrong, and someone who doesn't, might not find anything wrong with the book.

The same goes for any other subject, abortion, drugs etc., racism might be a extreme topic though, since in the U.S, it's against the law.

[knightss]

ok.. but things in the past can't be changed. if a classic book is being taught and it involves racism it is the teachers job to inform the students why the book involves racism and the tones and sentiments of the author during the time the book was written. i'm pretty sure that there are moral questions in most fiction books does this mean they should be banned? i don't think so. i'm reminded of the family guy episode when brian and stewie are in germany and they are viewing a pamphlet of german history and there is nothing written for the years between 1939 and 1945 and brian asked what happened during those years and the conductor of the tour responds "everyone was on vacation". the books that are being banned arn't book that are promoting racism or any other moral wrong... as stated before they banned a book because of the use of the 'n' word but during the time that the book written this word was not concidered a moral wrong. should we change classic works to make them less hateful? maybe. but that would be taking away and denying the true history of events.

[lizzie0390]

Ok, I agree and don't agree. Every writer deserves to have freedom of speech and freedom of press. Every writer wants to know that there books are being read and being liked by all of their fans. But I don't agree because if you were to ask a writer they would tell you that they secretly want their books banned. Its thier type of validation as a writer. To them its like their books are being validated. It shows then that people out their have read their books and that everyone has a different opinion. Because thats all a writer really wants, is to have their work touch someone elses emotions.

[barry93]

Notes

.....all the things that go with it
I and many of my friends have had first hand experiences
of this, starting in the 60's with underground publications in the Uk
like.OZ. IT. The little red schoolbook & Free London.
Poetry..'Golden convulvas' publisher condemned on an obscenity charge
leading to loss of his job as a male nurse and registered as a sex offender
for writing a poem about a gay encounter.
a few years (1971) ago I came across another backlash to writing a poem September 11th) , being busted for a half gram of hash 35years before
& writing for underground publications in the 60's I was refused admission to the USA for a coast to coast tour. the reason that I was a danger to the moral welfare of the American people. what had happened was that the officials now check all flight records for passengers and do a check on them
before they arrive. of course they checked out my website saw the poem & the tour details found out that I was booked at a few radical events etc...and bingo arrested when I arrived and sent back to Amsterdam.
a note was placed in my passport which meant that every time I traveled and crossed a passport computer checkpoint, I was searched, all manuscripts and CD's etc were checked and I was cross questioned.

I have heard from many poets in the USA that their books are being removed from bookstores, libraries & schools, they have lost their jobs or contracts are not renewable because they wrote against war.

we are not communists, dictators or anarchists, we are just human beings
who are concerned for others.

Barry Fitton

[ktmayo05]

Does anyone remember the movie "Demolition Man?" They showed the "future," which consisted of examples that showed people getting arrested for using foul language - sex was illegal - there were no weapons - etc.

That is the direction we are headed, and there's no way around it. All of these people who have voices are going to say "This offends me" which will be the end of whatever action, book, organization, blah blah blah - the list goes on.

It's almost inevitable, which sickens me. But it's obvious.

I do not agree with book banning. If something offends you, then don't read it. If it's a book that explains how to make bombs, then I agree with the person up there somewhere who said it should be up to the parents to pay some damn attention to whats going on.
People are going to do what they're going to do. I highly doubt that a book about magic is going to influence a child to not be a christian, and so on.

I think I'm becoming disgusted with society as a whole - because it actually goes above and beyond just banning books.

[knightss]

I think I'm becoming disgusted with society as a whole - because it actually goes above and beyond just banning books.

[lawofbob]

Sure banning books are bad but what almost as bad is the restriction placed on supposedly bad books. It seems some are prepared to let some books exsist but you try get hold of the book in some areas. Age restrictions, librarians discretion and book publishers all have the power to limit our access to books. god bless the internet

[Holly Fipps]

I believe a person who wants to ban a book either feels threatened by the topic or they are just ignorant. If they don't want to read a book that's fine but it shouldn't be forced (or kept) from other people. Last week I went to the public library where I lived and the workers were having a heated debate inside. Someone had donated books that they said contained controversial subjects and one of the women in charge of reviewing the books (that's right they have a committee to even decide what they allow in) said it was inappropriate garbage that should be thrown away. A man who is also on the committee said any topic that is worth reading is controversial if you look at it long enough and that they shouldn't monitor what's accepted at all. Of course when they saw me in the room they quit their squabble but it struck home. I didn't realize we were being limited on what we could read. I had no idea! I felt so violated!