Banning The Fear Of Books
Start writing a post
Student Life

Banning The Fear Of Books

“Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.” ― Laurie Halse Anderson

17
Banning The Fear Of Books

Recently, in the Accomack County, VA school district, administration is considering whether or not to ban two iconic classics - To Kill a Mockingbird and Huckleberry Fun due to complaints from one parent about racial slurs in the book.

One parent.

One person could have the power to take these books and their rich histories away from these students. Everyone might have to miss out because of one person's complaint. The whole message of To Kill a Mockingbird is that racism is wrong, yet one parent decided they did not want their child to read the beloved book at the very minor cost of having to read a negative word that the child most likely knows not to say anyway.

When we ban books, essentially "burning" them, we ban our history. These books are both products of their time and contain situations and language that would have been common at the time of their writing. That is not racism -- that is history, whether it is good or bad, and history should never be covered up because of someone's sensitivity.

I am lucky enough to attend a school where reading these "banned" books infiltrated every grade level. Yes, I read To Kill A Mockingbird, Catcher In The Rye, Fahrenheit 451, Animal Farm, 1984, and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest; and I am better for it. These books have taught imperative lessons of standing up for whats right and not everything is how it meets the eye. Why should we be taking away these opportunities for others to read the same values?

In 9th grade I read Fahrenheit 451 and because I had an English teacher that was ardently against censoring literature, I never really understood why anyone would want to get rid of books unless they wanted to achieve the mind control obtained in Bradbury's novel.

Books are powerful, and they teach us about where we have been and where we are now. Our history contains some negative elements as all histories do, but they need to be acknowledged and learned from, not banned, censored, or burned

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71229
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133328
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments