Although I believe in people choosing what is appropriate for themselves and their children, I think that it is a slippery slope when we disallow books to be read at all. It makes me think of times in history when books and other priceless artifacts have been destroyed in the name of political propaganda.
My favorite book of all-time To Kill A Mockingbird has often been on banned books lists. And to me that is so so sad.Here is a quote from that great book. "They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." ~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 11, spoken by the character Atticus
Take some time this week to look at some of the conversations about banned books on the internet, and think about what you would do if someone told you that you couldn't read your favorite book in your own home.
5 comments:
I had no idea that book was on the banned list!! It's my fav too, and I don't think I'd stop reading it. Too many good life lessons are in that book. I think it's sad when they do ban books. I also think that it doesn't exactly work. You ban a book, and kids are naturally going to be curious as to why. Whereas if that same book was never brought to their attention, they might never have picked it up.
What a good point! In all the discussions I have read I have not seen that point brought up. Fabulous thought. Thanks!
I am horribly amazed at the trivial and nonsensical reasons excellent books are banned.
My goodness, if you don't like it, don't read it!
Great quote from a phenomenal book - one of my faves!
The thing that gets me is often the books that are "banned" are not ones that are going to injure our psyche but those that will improve it.
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