HONORING BANNED BOOKS WEEK: SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2022

While I do not normally step upon my soap box here instead of discussing my writing, the subject is too important to ignore.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EDITORIAL.

September 18-24 is 2022's National Banned Books Week here in the United States.

While an ongoing subject since practically the start of the printed word, those who want to "edit" what others read has been in the news a lot lately.

Some of the more RECENT incidents were reported on The Free Choice E-zine's "The Week In Review" here, here, and here.

Now it's a given that not everyone is going to like everything.

That's why there are so many different genres, authors working within them, etc.

There's something for everyone and if you don't like a specific book then just don't read it.

That's both your choice and right to do so.

While parents must and hopefully have some say over what their young children read, that does NOT give anyone the right to dictate what others can read.

Your personal opinion is just that.

PERSONAL!

You want to share it? Fine, if done so politely. That's why there are reviewers and critics in the world.

But you canNOT force that opinion upon another individual, let alone a public intuition like a public library!

One state's "Concerns"

Some people have even gone as far as to BURN BOOKS! 😱

THAT IS TOO EXTREME!

Some books may be outdated and past their "prime".

After all, hopefully the Human race has evolved beyond the days of Uncle Tom's Cabin and Huckleberry Finn.

But for those who still want to read them, you can just put a Historical Footnote about the times and the way society was back then at the beginning of the book without destroying Harriet Becher Stowe's or Mark Twain's original prose.

And some of the reasons for wanting to ban or destroy books today just make me shudder.

After all, if you don't know something and are afraid to publicly ask the questions, how else are you going to figure out the answers?

As a writer myself, I know not everything I create is going to be liked by everyone.

Such is life.

But under no circumstances does one adult person have the "right" or "privilege" to dictate what another adult reads.

After all, doing so DOES violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution!

Lee Houston, Junior

18 September, 2022

THE ABOVE WAS AN EDITORIAL.

All links were active at the time this article was posted.

Writing Progress Reports should resume next weekend.