Closed Books, Closed Minds
There's nothing like a ban to give a book a good reputation. The struggle between free thought and government is an endless one, but when someone bans a book, the book has won ...says Nicholas Lezard on the Guardian blog.
The American Library Association is celebrating (?) its Banned Books Week Sept 27th - October 4th and protests are being held across the country. (You can find their website here and they are also on Facebook.)
Hmmm ... don'tcha think we need a Banned Books Week here too??Labels: banned books
posted by bibliobibuli at 8:28 AM
14 Comments:
It would certainly be good to obtain some clarity regarding which books are actually banned, and those which are just taken off the shelf on government warning.
Maybe the Banned Books Week would also be banned then we could have a Banned Banned Books Week, which, no doubt, in turn would also be banned then it would be Banned Banned Banned Books Week, ad infinitum not to mention ad nauseam, which I won't.
October 02, 2008 12:55 PM
Hrm. That's right, I should lend a copy of The Satanic Verses and see if it's all it's cracked up to be...
October 02, 2008 5:38 PM
I won't be back. Do your research. Don't just parrot the MSM. Sarah Palin did not ban or try to ban anything. She asked an intelligent question when coming into office. It got answered. That was it. Again, I thought you were smart enough to do the research, I am extremely disappointed in you.
October 02, 2008 11:17 PM
libby - sorry. i guess the LA Times got it wrong. i guess time magazine got it wrong. i guess mayor john stein got it wrong. i guess the library association of america got it wrong. (research y' see)
damn i didn't read MSM!
after i read your comment i was reading some of the ding dong in the american press and on websites partic of the bogus list of books palin puportedly wanted banned. urban legend writ large.
but is this lies too?
"While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day."
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/130532
okays - let the lady come out and publically declare that the banning of books is wrong.
October 03, 2008 12:21 AM
Sharon - you have Republicans reading your blog? I'm impressed! :)
October 03, 2008 9:34 AM
The librarians have gotten involved...
http://librariansagainstpalin.wordpress.com/
http://librariansforpalin.com/
October 03, 2008 9:37 AM
That lady Palin should go back to what she does best, moose-hunting(or maybe no hunting,on second thoughts).
She did, for a fact, consider banning books, just as she considered building a super-expensive "Bridge to nowhere" to a community of about 50 residents. In both cases, she backtracked in face of overwhelming opposition, and the Republicans now claim she did neither.
If she and McCain win, America would get what they deserve.
Banning books is the worst cultural crime possible, whether in the US, Malaysia, or anywhere else, and it is high time people in decision-making positions realized that.
October 03, 2008 12:50 PM
isn't it nice that it's even on the agenda for dicussion? can you ever imagine it becoming an election issue here?
October 03, 2008 5:47 PM
To ban books is beyond the Palin...
Maybe one of the books she wanted banned was the one that got her daughter preggies...
- Poppadumdum
October 04, 2008 12:29 AM
shuddup. Sarah Palin is hot. dammit.
October 04, 2008 12:39 AM
McCain is hot too!! Grrrr!!!
- Gay Man
October 04, 2008 1:04 AM
Ah, but Tibby herself said that she wasn't coming back to this blog to read your response, Sharon -- I mean, if she made herself vulnerable to logical arguments, what would become of her?!? The secret is to watch Fox News and then stick your fingers in your ears so you don't see anything that might make you revise your opinions. Tibby can't be visiting this blog if you're going to be digging up sources that DISAGREE with her. Shudder. Next you'll be suggesting that the Republican support base consists of half-literate evangelicals who believe that Jesus tells them how to vote! What a laugh.
-- Preeta
October 04, 2008 1:10 AM
Tibby sure, she ain't coming back!
I only watch E! News :-)))
- Poppadumdum
October 04, 2008 2:40 PM
Doubt one week would suffice :P
October 12, 2008 9:06 PM
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