Runs with scissors discussion

Today marks the begining of Banned Book Week. Yes, they still ban books here in this country and in others. Censorship is still and will always lurk in the hearts and narrow minds of the un-enlightened and control freaks. I myself, make it a point to read books that are banned or are causing a contreversy because I find that most good ideas come from these books and not the currently popular tripe that is being pushed onto the public at the moment.

We have discussed censorship here before (there is a discussion dedicated to it) but this, to me, was a good separate topic. This week I am going to make it a point to read at least one banned book this week and I encourage all of you to do the same. Maybe some "Animal Farm" or "Tom Sawyer"....I don't know where I will travel, but I invite all of you to travel with me.

Save a banned book! Free ideas!

Welcome to banned book week 2010. According to the Plain Dealer today, 4, 312 books have been challenged in school and public libraries from 2000-2009. This means that these books were attempts at removing or restricting a book.

1,413 were because of "sexually explicit" material

1,225 "offensive language"

109 for being "anti-family"

34% were class rooms, 33% school libraries, and 23% public libraries.

Just this year,the Menifee, CA,Union School District removed the Merriam-Webster Collegiate DICTIONARY because a child found the definition of word! (Gasp!) The word, "oral sex."

It's a dictionary. It supposed to define words.

When I was in high school,there was a restricted shelf in our school library because the junior high is connected (literally) to the high school and the younger kids share the library. On this shelf were books like "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid test" and other books that parents had felt junior high kids maybe shouldn't be reading. If you were in the high school, no problem.

Ironic thing, the county library is right next door and doesn't restrict any one from reading any thing.

I always found that amusing.