Banning Tolkien, some questions

[Iarwain]

In the end, it all becomes a mess of what we don't want at all. People cannot fix the world for others, they can only do it for themselves and through themselves. Censorship tends to be ridiculous, because if there is sufficient, logical doctrine against certain subject matter, it is much more beneficial to explain the reason for rejection of ideas than to merely restrict young ones from it without doing so. In fact, unexplained censorship defeats its own purpose, because while they do not understand why something is wrong, they might take bans as illogical and override the explained and the unexplained teachings of the censors in a mad rush of curiousity.

Iarwain

[Encaitare]

Over the past hour or so as I've read this and some related threads, I've come to realize what a fascinating country I dwell in. We love our freedom to be offended just as much as we love our freedom of speech.

I've been looking over some lists of banned and/or challenged books and have come across the most unlikely titles, from "The Merchant of Venice" (oh, that wicked, wicked Shakespeare!) to "Where the Sidewalk Ends" (funny poems for children). Many of the books I've seen have been required reading for me, such as "A Farewell to Arms," "The Catcher in the Rye," "Death of a Salesman," "Flowers for Algernon," etc. I could keep going. I think its a shame that the offense taken by a few people ruins it for everyone.

Another thing I've come to appreciate is how much I love attending public school, where just about anything is acceptable (except drugs, drinking, smoking on campus, and the like). Some girls I know just formed a book club that I joined, and the first book we decided to read was "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". This book has been challenged or banned in the past, but there were three lovely copies in our school library. Apparently our school has this principle that even if you're not supposed to teach about certain books in class, students still cannot be denied access to them. I like this idea very much.

I did not come across LotR in any recent book lists, so I guess it has not become too big of an issue like HP did. I just have a difficult time comprehending any kind of book banning, never mind LotR!

[Orominuialwen]

One problem with public schools, however, is that they often object to things that do not agree with a secular humanist world view. I've gone to public schools my whole life, and have experienced this first hand. I live in a very liberal city, where we were banned from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in school for a time. because it contained the words "Under God." The words of the national anthem were banned as well, because they were too "militaristic." Fortunately, both these rules were taken away, but that sort of mindset still remains. It can be very difficult if your parents do not want you reading/watching some things required in school. I had to talk to my teacher and explain that my parents didn't want me watching R-rated movies, and this teacher was very suprised. My parents had been quite upset that he had us watch an R-rated movie in class without telling the students, much less parents.

The point of this post is to say that although mostly restrictions imposed by very conservative schools have been discussed in this thread, just as many restrictions come from the other side as well. Just my two cents.

[Ainaserkewen]

Oro, it sounds a lot like the town I'm from. We all have to be politically correct lest someone jump down out throats, but all the most sensitive politically "correct" topics (homosexuality, abortion, witchcraft, etc.) are taboo just the same. I get pinned all the time at my Liberal, public Highschool.

In the case with the book bannings, my highschool would never dare step a toe so far out into the community to ban fiction books (Harry Potter and LOTR are in full stock on our shelves), however, one mother spoke up in the local editorials one Sunday and changed everything. She said it was inapropriate to have Bibles on School shelves. She went on 3 or 4 paragraphs explaining why. All rediculous of me, a learned woman of the world. I'm actually sitting in my school library looking at all the books lining the shelves...books on teen pregnancy, teen love, and one I just noticed called "Call of the Mall". This is our supported, politically correct culture!?

Also, through all of this contraversy pertaining to LOTR and Harry Potter pointing kids in the direction of Paganism, I can't help but wonder why the Wiccans and whatnot aren't getting as public as, say, those Christian Fundamentalists who ban babies' bottoms from satirical late night cartoon shows.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick of this, I'd rather just go read those bad books.