there is a light somewhere. may not be much light but it beats the darkness. charles bukowski
Friday, September 25, 2009
Celebrate the First Amendment!
How many know their First Amendment rights? As a reader and writer, I was served a reminder of its importance by following this link: Banned Books Week September 26 - October 3, 2009.
I do know, because a conservative religious group rallied support and tried to ban 3 gay-themed YA books at a nearby library. I signed all the petitions against this, along with a lot of other people. The library board ended up refusing to ban anything, but it was a near thing. If they had gone through with it, the anti-banning organizers were going to sue, using the First Amendment. They would have won, and the city would've had to pay.
Edie, when I hear about certain themes leading toward book banning, I just want to scream. What really saddens me is that even library boards aren't immune to political influence. "A near thing" is very scary. That tells me that the board actually considered banning the books and maybe had a few "righties" seated.
An astonishing percentage of Americans cannot recall their five freedoms granted by the First Amendment. I think it's around 70%. I don't think it's a coincidence that we are fast losing them, bit by bit. If I could make one universal change in schooling in the United States, it would be that at the end of each and every school year, students must be able to recite and demonstrate understanding of those five freedoms before graduation of that grade.
Um, was that a rant? Sorry! The five freedoms are a bit of a "thing" with me. LOL!
4 comments:
I do know, because a conservative religious group rallied support and tried to ban 3 gay-themed YA books at a nearby library. I signed all the petitions against this, along with a lot of other people. The library board ended up refusing to ban anything, but it was a near thing. If they had gone through with it, the anti-banning organizers were going to sue, using the First Amendment. They would have won, and the city would've had to pay.
Edie, when I hear about certain themes leading toward book banning, I just want to scream. What really saddens me is that even library boards aren't immune to political influence. "A near thing" is very scary. That tells me that the board actually considered banning the books and maybe had a few "righties" seated.
How freakin' said. :-(
An astonishing percentage of Americans cannot recall their five freedoms granted by the First Amendment. I think it's around 70%. I don't think it's a coincidence that we are fast losing them, bit by bit. If I could make one universal change in schooling in the United States, it would be that at the end of each and every school year, students must be able to recite and demonstrate understanding of those five freedoms before graduation of that grade.
Um, was that a rant? Sorry! The five freedoms are a bit of a "thing" with me. LOL!
Natasha, my US Hist. prof. would love you. And you are completely right, imo. We lose what we don't bother to understand.
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