September 25th to October 2nd is BANNED BOOK WEEK.
According to the American Library Association it is "an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States."
But it's not just about books in the USA, but around the world. Words, knowledge and ideas should be available to everyone. I understand if parents don't want their children to read certain books, but it doesn't give them the right to ban them from other children if their parents deem such books acceptable. That's a decision you have to make as a parent and a family. Plus, when you become an adult you should be able to read whatever you want. Censorship doesn't destroy ideas. They're out there and will find a way to be articulated whether in art, music or writing.
Top Ten Banned Books:
1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
2. The Catcher in the Rye
3. To Kill a Mockingbird
4. Bridge to Terabithia
5. The Lord of the Flies
6. Of Mice and Men
7. The Color Purple
8. Harry Potter Series
9. Slaughterhouse Five
10. The Bluest Eyes
TOP 100 Books Banned/Challenged from 2000-2009
It's amazing to me some of the books on this list. But that's the thing about banning books. You can pluck any book off a shelf and someone somewhere will find it objectionable. Where do you draw the line? Who draws it? If you start, where does it stop?
2 comments:
The book I was most shocked to see on that last...the dictionary. WTF? I couldn't believe it when I saw that.
I know. It's crazy, isn't it.
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