What Are The Arguments Against Book Censorship
The Harry Potter series, Huckleberry Finn, Alice, Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Grapes of Wrath and Moby Dick. These classic pieces of literature have been vital to teach values and morals, but have all been censored at one point in time. Censorship is the process of banning types of media as a result of so-called “objectionable content”. Many other pieces of literature have been censored throughout public libraries and 85 percent of these instances go unreported. Censoring books is not helping children more though restricting them from important knowledge. Censorship is wrong for at least three reasons. First, books with controversial ideas help children to better understand various issues that they will most likely face in the real world. Second, censoring books is
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a violation of the First Amendment of the United States of America.
Third, adults should not be able to decide what other parents' children are allowed to read and or be exposed to. Concerned parents and government officials usually challenge certain books because they feel the author is encouraging or promoting bad behaviors. Although in reality the author addressed these topics to prepare the youth for the real world affairs that they most likely are destined to experience. Sometimes it is better for children to read about this sensitive content because their parents might not address and or explain how to handle these situations. The books Speak by Laurie Halse has been frequently challenged and has been at the top of the censored book list. The book has been censored due to its various rape scenes. It sends a critical and important message to not only the youth, adults alike, to speak up if you were sexually assaulted, you don’t have to go through the pain and trauma alone. Rocco Staino says “They [rape victims] held in the physical and emotional trauma, sometimes
for decades. Often they turned to drugs, alcohol, or cutting to cope with the emotional pain. Then they read Speak. Halse gave them the courage to speak up for the first time, to tell what happened, and to get the help they deserved.” Clearly the victim’s parents’ did not address how to handle the situation if it ever happened. The book addressed the problem and how to “speak up” about the situation. Also books with controversial subjects or ideas let children receive multiple viewpoints which help children construct their own opinion before they formulate a narrow one sided opinion. Making an opinion before hearing all of the facts could lead to a horrible decision. If you hear a certain race being labeled “bad” and you believe the person or group without actually knowing the race then you m. Instead of censoring book’s the library should inform the parents of the books the library has to offer. This might safe some of the knowledge that these “controversial” books have to offer. The First amendment guarantees the freedom of speech and freedom of the press that means the right to distribute literature. Protecting the freedom to distribute literature also means protecting the right to receive the literature.
a violation of the First Amendment of the United States of America.
Third, adults should not be able to decide what other parents' children are allowed to read and or be exposed to. Concerned parents and government officials usually challenge certain books because they feel the author is encouraging or promoting bad behaviors. Although in reality the author addressed these topics to prepare the youth for the real world affairs that they most likely are destined to experience. Sometimes it is better for children to read about this sensitive content because their parents might not address and or explain how to handle these situations. The books Speak by Laurie Halse has been frequently challenged and has been at the top of the censored book list. The book has been censored due to its various rape scenes. It sends a critical and important message to not only the youth, adults alike, to speak up if you were sexually assaulted, you don’t have to go through the pain and trauma alone. Rocco Staino says “They [rape victims] held in the physical and emotional trauma, sometimes
for decades. Often they turned to drugs, alcohol, or cutting to cope with the emotional pain. Then they read Speak. Halse gave them the courage to speak up for the first time, to tell what happened, and to get the help they deserved.” Clearly the victim’s parents’ did not address how to handle the situation if it ever happened. The book addressed the problem and how to “speak up” about the situation. Also books with controversial subjects or ideas let children receive multiple viewpoints which help children construct their own opinion before they formulate a narrow one sided opinion. Making an opinion before hearing all of the facts could lead to a horrible decision. If you hear a certain race being labeled “bad” and you believe the person or group without actually knowing the race then you m. Instead of censoring book’s the library should inform the parents of the books the library has to offer. This might safe some of the knowledge that these “controversial” books have to offer. The First amendment guarantees the freedom of speech and freedom of the press that means the right to distribute literature. Protecting the freedom to distribute literature also means protecting the right to receive the literature.