It's not just some books.
The Bible = intellectual wealth.
Everybody Poops = intellectual wealth
He's Just Not That Into You = intellectual wealth
The Stand = intellectual wealth

Books are sacred. And even books that HAVE harmed me, are still sacred. I read a Piers Anthony book a few years ago and it was weeks before I could write again, because I was so afraid that I might be capable of drivel like that. But you know what? It was still intellectual wealth. And no one has a right to destroy it.

 Reply

This is weird, but I like seeing her getting publicity even if someone wants to destroy her work. She's a true original, and one of the most influential authors on my own mind.

 Reply

My god, these are the same people who think it's racist to even mention someone's (minority) ethnicity. Because they assume everyone considers it a flaw.

 Reply

Beyond that, how does seeing a book on a shelf without reading it "damag[e]" the "mental and emotional well-being" of people? What ridiculous asshattery.

That said, I'm kind of glad they chose this particular book to single out, because there really is no way to justify their complaints against it. This crusade is doing more to hurt their image than it is to hurt Baby Be-Bop. This book does far more good than harm, if it does harm at all. Targeting it will only encourage others to read it, others who should read it, maybe need to read it. Reading this book as a gay teenager (and again as a gay twentysometing) made me feel loved. And comforted. How they think they can justify taking that away from someone, calling it harmful, I'll never understand. And, call me naive, but I don't think most Americans will understand either.

 Reply

Books won't stay banned. They won't burn. Ideas won't go to jail. In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost. The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas. The source of better ideas is wisdom. The surest path to wisdom is a liberal education.

-Alfred Whitney

 Reply

"But the truth is, that when a Library expels a book of mine and leaves an unexpurgated Bible lying around where unprotected youth and age can get hold of it, the deep unconscious irony of it delights me and doesn't anger me."

 Reply

I don't know where I'm going with this, other than that there are some unpleasant truths in the world that people should know about, to be able to educate themselves to act otherwise (or at least to understand things).

 Reply

I doubt that the use of the term is the real driving force behind the CCLU's ban, since most of them probably use it behind the protection of their white hoods, but still, I don't automatically accept use of the term without context.

 Reply