My rant on censorship

[Movie Nerd]

Censorship takes many forms. Removal of a book from library shelves, because it does not conform to some group's ideology, or offends them, is censorship. So is banning a book from being sold or given away. The United States is not the only country that has fits and 'rightness' in its reading material. Many countries go further; some Middle Eastern countries make it a crime to criticize Muhammad, even to invoking the death penalty.

No one forces anyone to read a particular book. If you don't want to read it, fine; but don't tell me I can't read it.

Some years ago, I was teaching an adult education course at our local university. I had drawn up a list of supplemental reading materials, and before distributing to my students, went to the main library to check on availability of those titles. It happened to be 'Banned Books Week' (Yes, there is such a week). In the main foyer, there was a glass display case, the kind where you could display small aritifacts and collections. The case was empty except for a card with this printed message: "If some people had their way, these are the books you could read."

My thoughts exactly Cattleman.

[Movie Nerd]

I don't see the motivation for apologizing about being political in a forum that begins with the word "political."

I orginally wrote this for facebook; I had a couple of Facebook friends whose posts inspired my brain into giving these thoughts. The political line came from the original place where I posted this mini-essay.

[Kevin]

No one forces anyone to read a particular book. If you don't want to read it, fine; but don't tell me I can't read it.

I can tell you not to read any number of books but it's not censorship since there is no authority behind these commands. EDIT: I mean, I'll tell you right now to not read Don Quixote. Why? Because I say so. Do you see the difference between this and removing Don Quixote from library's? Do you see a difference between this and establing in law a penalty for reading Don Quixote? Do you see a difference between boycotting a library that has Don Quixote and locking up the staff of the library that has Don Quixote? Well, I think you're all making censorship out to be too cheap a thing.

[Movie Nerd]

No one forces anyone to read a particular book. If you don't want to read it, fine; but don't tell me I can't read it.

I can tell you not to read any number of books but it's not censorship since there is no authority behind these commands. EDIT: I mean, I'll tell you right now to not read Don Quixote. Why? Because I say so. Do you see the difference between this and removing Don Quixote from library's? Do you see a difference between this and stabling in kaw a penalty for reading Don Quixote? Do you see a difference between boycotting a library that has Don Quixote and locking up the staff of the library that has Don Quixote? Well, I think you're all making censorship out to be too cheap a thing.

If you enforce a boycott or any other action to get a book removed from a public library, where everyone's tax dollars go to supply reading material, then that is a form of censorship. You are saying that a book is not to be available in a public forum where all books are encouraged to be read and you can make your own education.

Libraries are meant to privide the public with an access to books and ideas. It's supposed to provide anyone a fair shake at information. If you choose not to read Don Quixote, that's fine; but the book should still be available to all who want to read the book. That's my opinion anyway.

[Kevin]

If you enforce a boycott or any other action to get a book removed from a public library, where everyone's tax dollars go to supply reading material, then that is a form of censorship. You are saying that a book is not to be available in a public forum where all books are encouraged to be read and you can make your own education.

Libraries are meant to privide the public with an access to books and ideas. It's supposed to provide anyone a fair shake at information. If you choose not to read Don Quixote, that's fine; but the book should still be available to all who want to read the book. That's my opinion anyway.

hrm... I might agree with you on this. But maybe not... I don't think it's true that "all books are encouraged to be read" at library's since it is a fact that not every book can actually be present in any library.
a wild-eyed example: A library carries a wide range of books on necrophilia and for whatever reason this fails to interest the customers of that library who would prefer to have a wide range of books on geology instead. These people make their complaints known to the staff who are adamant about keeping their wide range of books on necrophilia. The customers of that library simply stop going to the library. A chastened staff orders the geology books and pack up the ones on necrophilia. Has necrophilia been censored?

Yes, Don Quixote should be available for all to read. And you know what, despite my warning about actually reading it - it is! And that's why it wasn't a case of censorship. If a book is removed from *a* library does it suddenly become unavailable to be read? Talk about a consumerist society... if something isn't as easy as apple pie to get it's considered a case of censorship.

[youkrst]

one that gets me is when you mention to a christian that you saw a great movie, they say "what was it about?" and you say "vampires" and they go all stuffy on you because vampires are clearly unacceptable to Jesus... who said

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

if a law was passed banning vampire books one gets the impression they would be pleased but if a law was passed banning books that contain human sacrifice that would be an outrage against God.... consistency people consistency.. c'mon

[Movie Nerd]

one that gets me is when you mention to a christian that you saw a great movie, they say "what was it about?" and you say "vampires" and they go all stuffy on you because vampires are clearly unacceptable to Jesus... who said

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

if a law was passed banning vampire books one gets the impression they would be pleased but if a law was passed banning books that contain human sacrifice that would be an outrage against God.... consistency people consistency.. c'mon

There does seem to be a vampiric strain within the Jesus story, not to mention the use of magic (miracles) and other "wiazardly" elements such as coming back to life which would be condemned in other works of literature.

[youkrst]

yeah reminds me of when some kooky christians were all up in arms over harry potter being demonic

then you pick up the bible and read about the zombie witness resurrection or the more repulsive portions of scripture

...The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

it seems many have been left behind in the rapture of common sense.

[Cattleman]

Kevin, you can tell me all day not to read a book; that is not the same as telling me I CAN'T read it. Of course, your are right; unless you have some authority to enforce your ban (power to stop book being printed, or to have it removed from libraries and bookstores), it is still just words.

[youkrst]

censorship reminds me a little of the prohibition on alchohol...

you can't legislate morality, and to enforce yours on others through law seems like dirty tactics..

we cant reason this out to you so we'll just ban the whole thing

grog is bad to us so we have no problem making it illegal... even though our good book says things like

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

a couple of good anti censorship verses there

Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;

And wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.

the message is obvious here, make alchohol illegal

control, control, gotta have control, if i think it's bad IT IS BAD!