It's Banned Books Week

[Thorn Wilde]

In an age when books are still being banned for LGBTQ content all over the world, I thought this might be relevant.

 

Here are some quotes by authors about book banning:

 

 

 

 

11 Quotes From Authors on Censorship and Banned Books

[W_L]

They forgot one other literary great, who has been banned for his use of the colloquial American speech:
 

 

But the truth is, that when a Library expels a book of mine and leaves an unexpurgated Bible lying around where unprotected youth and age can get hold of it, the deep unconscious irony of it delights me and doesn't anger me.  -Mark Twain

[MikeL]

But the truth is, that when a Library expels a book of mine and leaves an unexpurgated Bible lying around where unprotected youth and age can get hold of it, the deep unconscious irony of it delights me and doesn't anger me.  -Mark Twain

 

 

Libraries and schools are still banning Huckleberry Finn for it's use of the "n" word.  The fact that Twain used authentic, contemporary dialogue in his novels to great effect escapes many people.  My wife taught English, including Twain's masterpiece, to high school freshmen for many years and took a lot of grief each year from each new batch of ignorant parents.  To her credit, she explained the historical significance of the book so well to her students that they all told their parents to cool it.

 

There are many reasons to ban a book.  Chief among them is ignorance.

Edited September 30, 2013 by MikeL

[Bill W]

Isn't it ironic that many of the people that wish to ban or burn books will be the first to claim freedom of speech to protect their won coice and opposition?  I guess they want their cake and be able to eat it too. 

[Thorn Wilde]

Isn't it ironic that many of the people that wish to ban or burn books will be the first to claim freedom of speech to protect their won coice and opposition?  I guess they want their cake and be able to eat it too. 

 

Ex-gay ministries and anti-LGBTQ groups have criticised the organisers of Banned Books Week for NOT using it to promote ex-gay literature in equal measure as other controversial titles. What these people seem to fail to understand is that no one's trying to ban their books, their side is generally the one doing the banning.

[Rndmrunner]

I have never understood how some people cannot distinguish that the freedom to make choices for themselves is different from the freedom to impose your choices on other people, be it book banning or abortion or sexuality. The second issue i have is that it is important to expose yourself to things that challenges you and make you uncomfortable  from time to time precisely so you are forced to wrestle with issues.

 

This does not prevent me from drawing my own conclusions or experience even if it is not to my tastes. Finally just because i find something distasteful does not make it necessarily inappropriate or wrong. It is ironic that some who condone book banning and muzzling free speech do it in the name of "Freedom" and "Liberty" as if they are the only ones in the room and their choices trump everyone else's.

[JamesSavik]

One peculiarity of the American psyche is that if you seek to ban a book, you guarantee that it will be a best seller.

Edited September 26, 2013 by jamessavik

[Thorn Wilde]

I have never understood how some people cannot distinguish that the freedom to make choices for themselves is different from the freedom to impose your choices on other people, be it book banning or abortion or sexuality. The second issue i have is that it is important to expose yourself to things that challenges you and make you uncomfortable  from time to time precisely so you are forced to wrestle with issues.

 

This does not prevent me from drawing my own conclusions or experience even if it is not to my tastes. Finally just because i find something distasteful does not make it necessarily inappropriate or wrong. It is ironic that some who condone book banning and muzzling free speech do it in the name of "Freedom" and "Liberty" as if they are the only ones in the room and their choices trump everyone else's.

 

I cannot even begin to express how incredibly true this is. Well said! All people can benefit from stepping outside their comfort zone every once in a while.

[GrimIsaac]

The only things that I say that should be banned are ones that promote the dark sides of the human society, such as rape, pedophilia, murder, or other such things when another is harmed for the sole reason to do so for one's own benefit. Things like homosexuality, religious differences, or other subjects that go against the norm I actually support, as it is humanity's way of showing its diversity to the closed-minded.

[Thorn Wilde]

The only things that I say that should be banned are ones that promote the dark sides of the human society, such as rape, pedophilia, murder, or other such things when another is harmed for the sole reason to do so for one's own benefit. Things like homosexuality, religious differences, or other subjects that go against the norm I actually support, as it is humanity's way of showing its diversity to the closed-minded.

 

I'd say that even those things shouldn't be banned. I mean, where do you draw the line? A piece of fiction written from a murderer or rapist's point of view can give powerful and painful insight into the human psyche and force people to face up to what goes on inside the mind of such a person. At first glance, such a work might seem to glorify violence, but that might not be the intent, and that might not be what people take away from it. We need to be allowed to explore dark themes in literature, because how else will we be allowed to, if not through art?

[GrimIsaac]

I'd say that even those things shouldn't be banned. I mean, where do you draw the line? A piece of fiction written from a murderer or rapist's point of view can give powerful and painful insight into the human psyche and force people to face up to what goes on inside the mind of such a person. At first glance, such a work might seem to glorify violence, but that might not be the intent, and that might not be what people take away from it. We need to be allowed to explore dark themes in literature, because how else will we be allowed to, if not through art?

The stories I am talking about are the ones where the hero does these things and the action is actually glorified or promotes those actions, like 'A Guide to ...' or similarly, to reference SVU, where the hero rapes women for wronging him. Basically, if the story/series end where the doer of these actions does not get caught, punished, or doesnt even show remorse, and there is nothing at the end to condemned those actions, that is the only time I think a book should be banned.

[K.C.]

I don't think books should be banned ever!   Someone wrote it. The Authors is expressing themselves and should not be silenced because the majority of the general public doesn't want to read it. It might never fit our social norms but it does fit in a genre ((even if it's undesirable)).

 

My interpretation of 'Freedom of speech' - I might not like what you write or say.  I may not agree with your views.  I may never pick up that offensive book and read one word of it...but I will fight with my last breath for you to have to right to say/write it. 

[Arpeggio]

When I first heard Catcher in the Rye was banned, I sought the book out and read it.

 

 

 

One peculiarity of the American psyche is that if you seek to ban a book, you guarantee that it will be a best seller.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Arpeggio

[W_L]

I wanted to read the anarchist cookbook after Fight Club

 

Depends on the reader and culture, there are some books that get banned out of potential danger to others.

 

In Europe for instance, I know Mein Kampf has been banned for decades, because of the author and the subject matter concerning antisemitism. Without invoking Godwin's law, would that book be covered as a banned book that should be expressed, especially after what happened?

Edited September 29, 2013 by W_L

[Thorn Wilde]

I wanted to read the anarchist cookbook after Fight Club

 

Depends on the reader and culture, there are some books that get banned out of potential danger to others.

 

In Europe for instance, I know Mein Kampf has been banned for decades, because of the author and the subject matter concerning antisemitism. Without invoking Godwin's law, would that book be covered as a banned book that should be expressed, especially after what happened?

 

Stop talking about Europe as if it's one country, we are not all governed by the same laws. Mein Kampf is banned in several European countries, and most of those have laws such as possession of the book being legal, but not selling or trading. 

 

I think that even books such as that one should be available for study. Because books should not be banned. I can, however, agree that it should perhaps be kept out of the hands of young and impressionable kids, and its content should certainly not be glorified. Once someone quotes from it in order to promote antisemitic views, that's clearly hate speech and should definitely be opposed.

 

I have a distinct feeling that if we keep talking about this particular book, a moderator might feel the need to come shut us down for political discussion, however.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Thorn Wilde

[Rndmrunner]

Banning books is a simplistic action. Freedom of speech is separate from being released from be responsible for your words. I do not believe in censorship but i do think that we can be held responsible for our words if they are hateful or hurtful to others.

[W_L]

Stop talking about Europe as if it's one country, we are not all governed by the same laws. Mein Kampf is banned in several European countries, and most of those have laws such as possession of the book being legal, but not selling or trading. 

 

I think that even books such as that one should be available for study. Because books should not be banned. I can, however, agree that it should perhaps be kept out of the hands of young and impressionable kids, and its content should certainly not be glorified. Once someone quotes from it in order to promote antisemitic views, that's clearly hate speech and should definitely be opposed.

 

I have a distinct feeling that if we keep talking about this particular book, a moderator might feel the need to come shut us down for political discussion, however.

 

Fine, I won't designate it as "Europe" Especially, since Germany is going to lose its copyright protection in 2016 and a republication is coming of that book and its sequel (Yes, he did write a sequel called, Zweites Buch).

 

However, going away from that book or politics, there's tons of other books with sensitive issues:

 

My current favorite reading on the side: Earth's Children series

 

Simple, more adult oriented, and slightly more racy than the average disney story about early humans

[Thorn Wilde]

Banning books is a simplistic action. Freedom of speech is separate from being released from be responsible for your words. I do not believe in censorship but i do think that we can be held responsible for our words if they are hateful or hurtful to others.

 

Oh, definitely. If a work promotes hate speech or hateful actions, then its author and anyone who uses its content that way should definitely be held responsible. 

 

My current favorite reading on the side: Earth's Children series

 

Simple, more adult oriented, and slightly more racy than the average disney story about early humans

 

See, I don't think that series is considered especially controversial this side of the pond. Like, at all.  I think the US is the only Western nation in which a book will be challenged or suggested banned simply for containing ('unconventional', according to Wikipedia) sexual practices.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Thorn Wilde

[hh5]

I must bet it must be hard to ban ebooks or the public domain ones ... the traditional book banning was to harm the author from making a dime ... so whats the electronic equivalent?

 

Libraries and schools are still banning Huckleberry Finn for it's use of the "n" word.  The fact that Twain used authentic, contemporary dialogue in his novels to great effect escapes many people.  My wife taught English, including Twain's masterpiece, to high school freshmen for many years and took a lot of grief each year from each new batch of ignorant parents.  To her credit, she explained the historical significance of the book so well to her students that they all told their parents to cool it.

 

There are many reasons to ban a book.  Chief among them is ignorance.

in a recent trial, one of witnesses explained the two "n" words on CNN. I remember my social studies teacher from years ago saying one of them many times and a period movie using the other word. When in doubt ... don't use either one ... it'll get ya more than banned in the wrong crowed ... some public or famous ppl lost their jobs ... all because it simple to complain about it than learn to be tolerant about it ... people just take it the wrong way

 

lol, that star trek scene where lincoln meets uhura ... lincoln would be in trouble in the 21st century but not in the 24th, lol

or is that next gen political correctness?

Edited October 1, 2013 by hh5

[crazyfish]

I'll be the party pooper here and say I don't see the fuss.  We need to have a sense of perspective here. 

 

School libraries have to make a determination of what to keep and what to exclude from their libraries.   These issues are voted on by the school boards. The school boards are elected in by the local community. Obviously what sort of books they deem ok for children to read will largely be determined by the community standards of decency.  Parents have the right to determine their children can read, and they have to right to vote through the school boards what library should have. 

 

These banned books aren't out of reach for the student.  They can borrow it from the public libraries. these books can be bought for pennies from used book stores or from freaking Amazon.

 

I prefer to keep my outrage for places where real censorship kills. People still get their lives disrupted, or thrown in prison for the innocuous novels they write. 

[Aditus]

So the community standards of decency differ from community to community and so do the books which students are allowed to read?

[Celethiel]

Oh! they banned my books, and Silenced my voice...

oh wait no they didn't darn...

[Thorn Wilde]

I agree with aditus (assuming I interpreted his comment correctly). Why should our form of censorship be more okay than anyone else's? And if anything, Banned Books Week also serves to make us aware of the harmful censorship that goes on all over the world and highlight authors who have been driven from their homeland for writing something that their government considered offensive or dangerous. 

 

I find it particularly ironic when people suggest banning Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451 (which is one of my favourite books, btw). Yeah, let's ban a book that shows a dystopic future in which all books are banned.

[W_L]

I agree with aditus (assuming I interpreted his comment correctly). Why should our form of censorship be more okay than anyone else's? And if anything, Banned Books Week also serves to make us aware of the harmful censorship that goes on all over the world and highlight authors who have been driven from their homeland for writing something that their government considered offensive or dangerous. 

 

I find it particularly ironic when people suggest banning Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451 (which is one of my favourite books, btw). Yeah, let's ban a book that shows a dystopic future in which all books are banned.

 

I thought they were burned, not banned

 

Here's an interesting Chinese history lesson:

 

Before the unification of China during the Qin Dynasty, there were 7 nations in what we know as China today, each with its own dialect, culture, and customs. The Qin state militarily conquers the other 6 countries and tried to establish its rule. However, Emperor Shi Huang Di couldn't easily integrate all these territories with so many languages, cultures, and customs. He infamously instituted a law to destroy all non-Qin writings, kill all scholars of foreign languages, and burn any visible sign of the existence of other nations in his empire. Hundreds of thousands of educated people were murdered and vast libraries of knowledge were lost. However, despite what he did, the locals taught their children secretly how to "speak" their native tongues and memorize their own histories and myths. There are also still tombs of ancient rulers in these nations that remained undisturbed, so at least some fragments of those civilizations remained.

 

It's one reason why Chinese writing is unified in modern Calligraphy, but our languages remain diverse, at least for the moment.

Edited October 2, 2013 by W_L

[crazyfish]

So the community standards of decency differ from community to community and so do the books which students are allowed to read?

Yes when it comes down to children.  Mormon town is very different from The Haight. Parents have a basic right to vote through their school board representatives on what gets admitted into school libraries. It's just a matter of majority rule on a local level.

 

I see these things as a matter of degree. We won't be crying banned books over Fifty Shades of Grey, which no self-respecting school library would allow on the shelf. On these other books, parents disagree and get to vote their opinon, that's all. And any a ten-year-old in America, even in Mormon Country USA, can walk down to their local public library to get any of these so-called banned books. So yeah ... 

Edited October 3, 2013 by crazyfish