Sunday, April 17, 2011

Top 5 Banned Books of 2010

1.       The ttyl Series: a series about teenage girls written in text message format, and supposedly quite realistic.
Reasons: Nudity, sex, drugs, swear words
Okay, let’s address the “nudity” claim. I would like to point out that this is a BOOK. So, what, did she describe the nudity? If so, WHO CARES? They are WORDS… and since sex is a different category one assumes that these aren’t even sexualized words. If your kid can’t handle the word “breast,” then for God’s sake, remove said child from English class and invest immediately in a psychotherapist who can help him or her overcome his/her obviously stunted emotional development.
2.       And Tango Makes 3: a children’s book about two male penguins who adopt and raise a baby penguin
Reasons: Homosexuality
Um, I’m sorry? Is this committee actually overtly suggesting homophobia as a legitimate objection to a children’s book? Like, they’re not even going to try to find some sort of figurehead excuse? How is this considered acceptable?!!! It’s like a politician calling for a boycott of Woody Allen movies because “Jews are icky.”
3.       The Perks of Being a Wallflower: First person account of the complications of life as a teenager.
Reasons: Homosexuality (again), sex, swear words, religious perspective
Reading that list is like playing a game of “Which One Doesn’t Belong?”  I can’t believe the presence of a religious perspective is grounds for banning. I mean, kids have to know… they do exist. I respect the need to maintain an unbiased curriculum, but these books aren’t just not required- they’re banned. As in, the library is not allowed to stock them. Again, I feel that the children here are being somewhat underestimated… I have total faith that little Sally will be able to read a fictional novel without immediately converting to the main characters particular affiliation. One would hope.
4.       To Kill a Mockingbird: Oh, you know this… Or you’d better.
Reasons: Racism, swearing
First of all, this book is not promoting racism… actually just the opposite. Is it banned because racism is upsetting? If so, then that school must have one limited curriculum. I’d like to see how they managed the history classes without war. And also, I find it absurd that racism is abhorred but sexual discrimination is actively participated in. This board sucks.
5.       Twilight: The whole teenaged vampire thing.
Reasons: sex
No comment.
As for the issues I didn’t address- I would like to reply simply by listing a few titles and the themes therein.
Romeo and Juliet: teen suicide, sex among minors, murder, sexual innuendoes, swearing
Greek classics: Incest, murder, bestiality, suicide, sexism, racism, drugs (LOTUS)
The Bible: incest, sexism, racism, bestiality, murder, genocide, favoritism, religious perspective (s), cannibalism, torture, prostitution, theft, betrayal, death, gambling, homosexuality, homophobia, apocalypse… and many, many more.
I rest my case.

2 comments:

  1. Perks of Being a Wallflower was the most important book of my thirteen/fourteen year old existence. The idea that it's being banned instead of being thrust into the hands of every lonely misfit high school freshman is fucking awful. That book, for me, was one of those books you rarely find where it so accurately depicts your life and all your feelings regarding it that it actually becomes your friend. I got acquainted with some of my best friends in high school through talking about that book and how much we related to it. Damned Puritans.

    Also, I saw this comic and it reminded me of your blog.

    http://follyandinnovation.com/2010/05/literacy-not-just-for-suckers-anymore/

    -erin

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  2. What can you expect from a nation where half of the population doesn't "believe in" evolution. Is it too late to be born in another country?

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