Well, school is in session again and IT is here again. IT is the annual reminder that, in the Land of Free Speech, people -- school boards, politicians, religious groups, censorship groups, individuals -- are still trying, and sometimes succeeding, in preventing others from reading books containing other people's free speech which they find offensive or objectionable for some reason.
It's Banned Books Week (Sept. 22-28), an unfortunately necessary tradition the American Library Association began in 1982 in response to increased challenges to books in libraries, schools and other public places. Its stated aim is "to celebrate the freedom to read and to promote silenced voices". This year's theme is "Freed Between the Lines".
Fueled by the MAGAmania fear promoted by Donald Trump and those wishing to supplant him as leader of the Republican cult, efforts to control what books teachers use to teach, what books libraries can keep on their shelves have increased significantly.
Traditionally specific reasons why books have been banned or challenged include: LGBTQ content, sexually explicit language, profanity, racism, violence, religious viewpoint, sex education, suicide, drug and alcohol use, nudity, political viewpoint and offensive language.
While the librarians found a drop in 2024 so far in complaints about books in public, school and academic libraries, and in the number of books receiving objections. PEN America reported a significant increase in books being removed from school shelves in 2023-24 -- more than 10,000 more than 2023. More than 8,000 were pulled just in Florida and Iowa, where laws restricting the content of books have recently been passed.
The difference in the surveys is that the ALA only counts actual book removals, while PEN America considers even a temporary removal for review because of a challenge. Also, the ALA relies on media accounts and reports from librarians and admits that many challenges may not be included because librarians preemptively withhold a book that may be controversial or decline to even acquire it.
The fear factor.
That's undoubtedly happened in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis, unsuccessfully seeking to supplant Trump as Republican Party leader, has been aggressive in efforts to control what his state residents can read and what universities can teach, but Texas also has not been shy about attempting censorship. Iowa has also been pro-active in trying to censor what books its residents may read.
As someone who has made a living writing opinions that some might not agree with, I feel compelled to once again argue for the right of free speech and free access to whatever people want to read. Controlling what people read is, after all, a way to control how they think. And, yes, it's a way those who lie try to hide the truth from others.
My practice has been to list, in no particular order, banned books I have read. It's compiled from a few lists I have found on the Internet and includes some books I had no idea were ever the target of attempted banning.
The list:
-- The Catcher in the Rye
-- To Kill a Mockingbird
-- The Lord of the Flies
-- 1984
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
