What do you think? Is banning books wrong?

I think banning any type of book is WRONG. We have the right to read, and think, and choose what we wish...stop censoring.

-Katz

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Mark Twain uses the word N igger constantly in his books

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Yeah, and people made a huge stink about that too. But they failed to see why he did. They only thought Mark Twain was a racist. He wasn't though. He only used the N-word to accurately portray life back then. In his day, people used it constantly. How realistic would Huck Finn be without racial slurs? But some people didn't see it that way and thus a lot of Twain's books were banned.

A few of the books i just got would NEVER be found in alot of the libraries around here.
I think censorship is just trying to keep ignorance around. I mean, books are read for the whole point of trying to get the reader to take something away from that book after reading it. (ex: theme)
Those points will never be taken across if they are never read. I think most people would have enough common sense not to go calling people n****** after reading Mark Twain, etc.
People's morals and imagination have to be challenged, the can't be protected forever.

Mark Twain uses the word N igger constantly in his books.

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Originally posted by oregonprariedogs:
If there was a book that included derogatory terms against other races, religions, etc. and called for horrid acts from others, would you really want that in a public library? It's a tricky issue when you have to determine what is appropriate and what is not.

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I agree that appropriateness has to be taken into consideration, but I firmly believe that all books should be allowed in public libraries (school libraries and private libraries are another matter entirely). Even books as horrible as the one(s) you describe serve a purpose. For example, a very racist book might go to show readers how fallacious and despicable racism really is.

I firmly believe that no thought or idea, no matter how controversial or seemingly inappropriate it might be, should be kept from the public arena.

bannin' books IS wrong!

Banniong books is a way to keep the population uneducated, so that they will remain in the dark about things like evolution, and listen to what their priests say about it, which are totally falicious in most cases.

I started a thread on this a while ago, that I think has some pretty good information in it.

Censorship Expanded- In School Reading Books If anyone wants to check it out.

Bushism of the day:
"More Muslims have died at the hands of killers than — I say more Muslims — a lot of Muslims have died — I don't know the exact count — at Istanbul. Look at these different places around the world where there's been tremendous death and destruction because killers kill." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004

Besides, book banning goes against one of the tacets of our Constitution. By banning a book because of it's "inappropriateness", you're limiting the freedom of the press, which is a form of freedom of speech. It's like saying "Don't badmouth the Prez or we'll throw you in jail". And simply because a few people believe a book isn't fit for other people to read doesn't make their opinion the opinion of everyone.

I agree. Banning books is censorship taken to its extreme. Yet, that is the surface of the issues. If there was a book that included derogatory terms against other races, religions, etc. and called for horrid acts from others, would you really want that in a public library? It's a tricky issue when you have to determine what is appropriate and what is not.

I think books shouldn't be banned. For example, schools shouldn't be requiored to read controversial books (or even have to carry them) but students should be allowed to bring it in.

I totally agree! Pretending that controversial issues don't exist doesn't help to solve anything! Keeping people from the opportunity to hear differing viewpoints and learn about intense situations, concepts etc is not helpful and almost impossible anyways.

Yeah banning books is wrong in most cases.
I mean in 8'th grade my english teacher read alot of books that were banned in most schools.
"the call of the wild" for references to darwin's theory of evolution, etc. Banning is a really drastic form of censoring, but all they need to do is start putting warning and ratings on the books for their content and we'll be all set. Besides if a book is banned doesn't that make you want to read it more?

Anime - posting if you want alot of replies should be posted in the late p.m. or early a.m. hours.

Wow...so many replies....why do I try? People...does it take a long time to type Y/N? Well...Merry Christmas anyways.

~Katz