Banned Books Week!

When the issue of banning books and censorship through print comes up, minds often turn to the imagery of the book burnings that occurred in Nazi Germany. While this image is vivid, and often charged with the romanticism of good versus evil, it feels far away; something that could only ever happen in a country that is not ours.

However, censorship is something that hits much closer to home than everyone thinks. Book burning has occurred in the past ten years in the United States, but far more often there is a more subtle form of censorship that takes place: the banning or pulling of books from library shelves and school curriculum. It is talked about far less but happens far more often.

The issue of banning books and the restriction of ideas communicated through print is not a new one. But it is important. It calls to mind questions regarding the first amendment right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Banned books week was launched in 1982 in response to a surge in the number of books being banned or challenged. In the past year alone there were 311 reported challenges, and some occurring very close to home (check out the 10 most challenged books this year).

Over the next week we will be celebrating and exercising our right to read the books that we want and to remind ourselves that censorship exists and to fight against it.  I invite everyone to join me in reading books that have been banned and to think about why someone thought that the book should not be read (for 5 tales of banned books...).

Ideas are powerful. Ideas are dangerous. Here is to Banned Book Week!