- The Statue of Liberty - Dominique James
While September 24 through October 2, 2010, is the official week to promote awareness of banned and challenged books, events which occur during this week have the potential to resonate throughout the entire month and year as well as through entire generations of readers.
The First Amendment and the Freedom to Read
While intellectual freedom, free-speech, and the right to read whatever one wants may be perceived as a given within these United States, these rights are often challenged by public as well as private entities. While this, too, is a sign of democratic process, challenging the challengers is as well.
According to FindLaw.com, the First Amendment is as follows: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." While there are other amendments which overlap the network of issues relating to banned books (e.g., the Fourth Amendment), this one is referred to on a regular basis.
Why Books are Banned and Challenged
There are probably as many reasons for banning and/or challenging the existence of any one book or series of books as there are individuals and groups who challenge them. The major reasons, however, tend to gravitate toward content that challenges a person's or group's individual belief systems in the arenas of religion, politics, and sex.
While many individuals may react emotionally prior to thinking, which is understandable, there are other individuals who dedicate their time and effort to eliminating access to books and other printed materials which do not promote their own agenda.
A Short List of Books which have been Banned or Challenged
In addition to other exceptional resources, The American Library Association at ALA.org provides the "Top Ten" challenged books for each year. Challenges are reported to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, and out of the 460 books reported in 2009, the top ten include the following:
- And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, which was challenged for reasons associated with homosexuality
- Twillight (series) by Stephanie Meyer, which was challenged due to being "Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group"
- My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, which was challenged dues to "Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence"
While these and other books are on "the lists", they are still being read, discussed, written about, and otherwise promoted. This is a positive, isn't it? A sign that no matter how hard some individuals work to thwart our individual freedoms, they continue to prevail. True, it may be difficult for some to obtain and read these books, but there are ways around that, aren't there? This reader, for example, remembers classroom texts with lines blacked out because the teacher, principal, or school district deemed the material inappropriate.
It was an easy fix. In some cases students would go to the library; in others, to their parents, grandparents, or neighbors' book shelves. Being resourceful is definitely a "developable" skill.
How to Maintain and Promote Intellectual Freedom
Revel in your intellectual freedom by reading at least one challenged or banned book a month. Encourage others to do so. Start a reading group to discuss these books. Write about and otherwise promote them.
Remember the books that inspired and energized you, that took you on an adventure, that opened up the universe. Remember the books that caused you to question your own belief systems, that introduced you to the beliefs of others. What books elicited powerful emotions? What impact did that have on your life? Remember them all – even those books that you didn't like or would never read again.
Now imagine that the right to read those books was taken from you...How do you feel about that?
Work Cited
"The Top ten most frequently challenged books of 2009." The American Library Association. ala.org. 4 Aug. 2010. Web.
"The First Amendment - The US Constitution." FindLaw.com. 4 Aug. 2010. Web.
Terrie Leigh Relf - Terrie Leigh Relf has a B.A. in Buddhist and Western Psychology from Naropa University in Boulder, CO, and an M.A. in Rhetoric and Writing ...
