PISCATAWAY ?”The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” “Of Mice and Men.” And the entire “Harry Potter” series.Those books are among the most popular ? and arguably among the greatest ? books ever written. But next week they will be celebrated for belonging on another list: the most-challenged books in the country.”Banned Book Week,” an annual event organized by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom, kicks off Saturday, Sept. 27, and continues through Saturday, Oct. 4. This year’s theme: “Closing Books Shuts Out Ideas.”Among the local libraries participating this year is the Piscataway Township Public Library. Lina Belkewitch, the library’s public-relations specialist, says the week is more about freedom than it is about censorship.”It’s about your freedom to read and freedom not to read it, too,” she said. “It’s your freedom.”In fact, attempts to ban books at local libraries are rarely successful, according to the library association. The books celebrated during “Banned Books Week” are books that most frequently have been the subject of challenges by local residents. A “challenge” occurs when a resident or group of residents attempt to have a book removed from the library’s shelves, generally due to concerns over graphic language, descriptions of violence or racism, or mature themes. When a resident challenges a book, the complaint can lead to a hearing before the library’s board of trustees, or even a court case.But Molly Newling, acting director of the Piscataway library, said she can’t recall a challenge ever getting to the hearing stage at her library. She said generally an explanation of the library’s decision by a librarian will abate complaints.”I can’t recall a time where we’ve had a major challenge,” she said. “Some people have a problem, and we explain it, and we usually fix it.”Piscataway is celebrating the week with a display highlighting books in the library’s collection that are frequently challenged at libraries across the nation.Sharon Rawlins, youth-services consultant for the New Jersey State Library in Trenton, said participation is high among libraries in New Jersey. Some even use yellow caution tape to decorate banned-book displays.
Banned literature all have one thing in common, ideas by free thinkers trying to open the eyes of, at least, the literate populace of alternate ideas that may conflict with the ideas of group in power.
Harry Potter is no different from Star Wars. Persons born with talents as witches or warlocks go to special schools in Harry Potter. People with special sensory cognition of “the force” go to special schools in Star Wars.
It’s an offshoot of science fiction, like “friday the thirteenth”, or any other supernatural horror flick.
We don’t go to the movies, nor do we read books to learn more about reality. We read stories to be entertained by being carried away to a fantasy world in which anything could happen. “Lord of the Ring” is a perfect example. Imaginary world where the equivelant of the devil nearly wins dominion over the world. On the backs of two of the humblest and least formidable creatures rests the fate of the world and win. A good story, but irrelevant to any debate about what is real. Banning any book, regardless if it is white supremecist bullshit cannot happen.
Anything short of a free press, and free expression of opinion is the first step toward a government equivelant to brainwashing, and having gone through one from a fundamentalist christian church, I am really avoiding an attempt at another one.
NeoWolfe
NeoWolfe,
I think I understand now. Having freed yourself from fundamentalism, you are somewhat intoxicated by being able to think freely. Some of your more grandiloquent posts could be the consequence of that experience.
And, it could explain why I, and someone else, thought you might be young.
Obeah,
Every time I read one of your posts, I think I have a clearer picture of who you are as well. But, I think it might be a mistake to think you see who I am.
But, here’s one more brushstoke in the picture you are painting of me in your mind. My childhood was all the hell you can imagine being raised in a fundamentalist Christian family. But, I embrace that history, because I learned not to lie, and I learned not to steal, and I learned not to judge a man by the color of his skin. Things I hold dear to this day that no one can take away from me.
But, the tough part is when I lost contact with my grandparents, my parents, my ex and my children because I rejected their religion. To my children I was portrayed as the “evil slave”, a monster trying to suck them all into destruction.
If I could change any of it, I wouldn’t, because thats when I saw Jehovah for what he was. I am a good man, but yet if I don’t subscribe and approve of his genocides, I don’t deserve to be among the saved. That’s okay with me. If he was real I would flip the bird at the sky and invite him to suck my wooden falic symbol.
It could be worse, I could be one of those people who don’t really understand who they are worshipping.
NeoWolfe
As I do not comment as frequently as you I would guess that your picture of me is incomplete. But then, nebulous or not, it don’t matter much. We are all the sum of the text, but we all add differently. You know who I am here. It is natural to go by best evidence. When something comes along to change the picture, it gets changed.
Even the Ignoramus would seem like a different person if encountered at the dinner table. Non of the acrimony between you and What would get quite so personal, unless it is your habit to be as lofty in person.
I don’t know who you are but you are who you are where you are, but here, you are a different are. AArrgh
Obeah,
You made this statement:
“Non of the acrimony between you and What would get quite so personal, unless it is your habit to be as lofty in person.”
By lofty, I assume you mean “arrogant”. Perhaps that is an accurate assessment. I try to be honest and not pull any punches when I look in the mirror, and I have no illusions that I am better than the rest of the world. But one thing I do know is that it is undeniable that sometimes I lash out when cooler heads should prevail. This is likely due to ADHD with comorbid oppositional defiant disorder. I do try to keep a lid on it, but like you said, maybe we become different people on the keyboard.
As far as recent clashes with What, I am mystified. I have read his posts in the past that were really good clear points. But, for example, when I was making a point about cutting edge science too often presenting theory as accepted fact, he stated that I did not understand what the theory was proposing, and did so in a way that I felt was demeaning. It pissed me off, because I am not a person inclined to offer an opinion on a subject with which I am unfamiliar.
Anyway, to you and all the other contributors here, if at times my comments have been inappropriate, I apologize. Where ever you go, you have to take yourself along.
NeoWolfe
NeoWolfe,
I do not mean arrogant. I mean elevated or grandiloquent. You may not intend to sound as you do. It may be that you are the complete opposite.
My recollection of your earlier posts was your tone of excitement, which I now interpret as being, pardon the expression, born again, coincidental with finding this blog. Gad-Zooks!, your name even suggests that you have a lofty opinion of yourself. Again, I may be wide of the mark.
And now, you throw in ADHD which only confirms my opinions. No one needs permision to express themselves in whatever manner they like. It is so very easy to be misunderstood on a blog. When confronted with epithets it is best to first clarify; if that doesn’t work, use the pottiest mouth available to you.
Obeah,
You said:
When confronted with epithets it is best to first clarify; if that doesn’t work, use the pottiest mouth available to you”
That was hilarious!!! Will the real potty mouth please stand up. Oh, wait, that’s me.
NeoWolfe
On the subject of book banning, I always recall a comment by the late, great Kurt Vonnegut that I read years ago.
I don’t have a cite but the remark was that he was always of two minds about efforts (and there have been many) to censor his works. On one hand he hated all such activity. On the other he loved the extra royalties generated by all the free publicity.
That’s a paraphrase, but I’m reasonably sure I have the gist of it.
wow people still try to ban books. that was like some 1980 footlose type stuff. that shoulf really be illegal. thats like the people in korea that cant watch certan tv channels and have limited internet access. when you let people censor books the story usually plays out like this.
the over protective christian radical patents say ” oh your book is courpting the youth” then they go out and kill some poor teacher (socrates) for teaching his kids how to think and ask questions. then the kids start rebelling aginst the magical book that tells the story of how a boy and his friends fight evil and possably save the world with the power of love. wait am i talking about harry potter or the bible?
what i am getting at is they are the same thing if you are going to ban the harry potter then ban the bible too because they are the same save some minor diffrences.
oh yeah hi everyone im Meow Moew and im new to the blog thing …. so yeah nice to meet u all