Banning of Books......really?
By dreamertink
@dfollin (24172)
United States
July 23, 2011 4:55pm CST
I love to read and I cannot believe some of the books being banned or asked to be banned?I found that the American Library Association (ALA) has banned or challenged many books.The difference between banning and challenging material’s being restricted or removed from the shelves is where if it is being banned then it is removed.Where being challenged means that it has been asked to be removed by a person or group and not.
During the period of 2000 and 2009 the materials on that list is the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. This series was challenged during the years 2001-2003.
A lot of books have been challenged because of having sexually explicit content,such as Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,by Mayo Angelo,The Color Purple.by Alice Walker and Fallen Angels,by Walter Dean Myers and more.There are also some classic books also challenged,The Great Gatsby,by F. Scott Fitzgerald,To Kill A Mockingbird,by Harper Lee and other’s.
Some of the greatest stories written have been and will be challenged and banned because there are some people and groups do not want them to be seen by children.Then the parents should not allow their children to view them.
Can you believe this the parents need to just get a grip on reality and if they think that a certain book is not appropiate for their child/children then don't let them read it,instead of asking it to be banned.
What do you think?
4 people like this
10 responses
@sharkbiter (382)
• United States
24 Jul 11
I agree that parents need to get better control of their children. If they don't want them to read a book then don't let them. The thing is, this will make most children want to read the book even more.
I have heard many complaints about the Harry Potter series, saying it is evil with witches and wizards. Magic is bad and doesn't need to be put into our childrens' heads. I hope these same people aren't reading fairy tales to their children at bedtime, because most fairy tales have witches, or Fairy Godmothers, or some type of magic involved. Think about Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel & Gretal, Shrek, Pinnochio, all these stories have witches or magic of somekind.
Older stories teach us about the past and I think that is something we can learn from. If not, then History needs to be banned in schools also.
2 people like this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
24 Jul 11
I love your response, because I have said basically the same thing many times.
If you do not call them "witches" and "wizards" ... or if you do, then they must be portrayed in an evil manner ... then it is a perfectly acceptable fairy tale. Most fairy tales not only have magic and witches or wizards but also many other mythical creatures, so they really are not any different than the Harry Potter series except that they have been around longer. In fact, many of the more popular "nursery rhymes" are really very dark and suggestive, but parents have absolutely no problem teaching them to their children.
If you do not call them "witches" and "wizards" ... or if you do, then they must be portrayed in an evil manner ... then it is a perfectly acceptable fairy tale. Most fairy tales not only have magic and witches or wizards but also many other mythical creatures, so they really are not any different than the Harry Potter series except that they have been around longer. In fact, many of the more popular "nursery rhymes" are really very dark and suggestive, but parents have absolutely no problem teaching them to their children.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
23 Jul 11
I think that most books are appropriate to be in the library, and would never ask a library to not carry a book or an author that i did not approve of. if it was a children's book that I did not want my child to read, I would not let them check it out and sit down and explain why i did not think it was appropriate for him or her at this time.
I honestly found it appalling that my fourth grade students were reading the Twilight Series, but there was nothing I could do about it.
2 people like this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
23 Jul 11
Though I don't like the series of JK Rowling's I don't object to them being in libraries. I am appalled that they want ban "Uncle Tom's Cabin" It tells us how things were at the time it was written. The same with Mark Twain's books, especially "Huckleberry Finn". The books that you mentioned give us an insight into the times they were written. I think reading those books are a much more interesting way to learn our past than those dry history books we had to read in school.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
24 Jul 11
I think u are right. Alot of parents need to get in control of their children instead of the children controlling them.
@Rick1950 (1575)
• Lima, Peru
23 Jul 11
I think if you try to ban someone for something is worse, because it only allows this person to do the forbidden in secret. The best way is to explain the reason why the child should not read that book. I agree with you that parents should don't let their children to read inappropriate books.
@bouncybug (614)
• South Africa
25 Jul 11
I can't believe that some of these books were actually considered being banned. Imagine how much we all would have missed out on had Harry potter been banned, or all those other excellent books that you mentioned. I think freedom of speech is one of the most important rights that needs to be upheld in all instances. Authors should feel that they have the right to express their views as openly and freely as they choose to. If those views offend groups of people, then they have the choice to not read the book. But to try and ban books completely is just absurd.
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
24 Jul 11
I totally agree with you on this. Not that I read a lot of these books, but it is important that people be allowed to read what they want even if it doesn't agree with their religion or whatever. If a school wants to require certain books to be read as part of their curriculum and the parents don't want their children to read the required books, then they should talk to the school about getting an alternative assignment for their child rather than having the school ban the book for everyone. I shouldn't have to be affected by someone's desire to not have their child read a given book.
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
24 Jul 11
I am against banning books, even the ones that I find highly offensive. If I do not like it, then I don't have to read it, and I can keep my children from reading it as well until they are old enough to decide for themselves what is and is not appropriate. I have read several of the books that you have mentioned, and I am not sure what is so inappropriate in them that they would need to be banned.
By the way, I wonder whether or not these parents have listened to the radio lately? Do they keep their children from listening to music as well, because many of the song lyrics these days are far more than "suggestive" ... they are blatantly descriptive.
By the way, I wonder whether or not these parents have listened to the radio lately? Do they keep their children from listening to music as well, because many of the song lyrics these days are far more than "suggestive" ... they are blatantly descriptive.
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
24 Jul 11
I gain knowledge from different kinds of books, including learning about different cultures and approaches in life. I am encouraging my son to read as much books as he can but of course I have the sole right to choose what best suits him at the age of 7. I want to be as broad minded as I can by learning from books. My father once told me that reading books in as inexpensive way to travel and learn other country's cultures.
Now if these people go about challenging seeking for banning of those books, how am I suppose to learn? And I agree that parents should guide what books children should read and not seek for the banning of such in the library.
