Coffee & Writing

It’s about that time of the year where people flood to the beach with a good mystery, romance, political book, or even snuggle in the sand with a bit of Shakespeare.

Oh, but wait a minute are you allowed to do that anymore?

“A Study in Scarlet” by Arthur Conan Doyle–BANNED

“Fifty Shades of Grey” by E L James–BANNED

“1984” by George Orwell–BANNED

“Twelfth Night” by William Shakespeare–BANNED

“In the Night Kitchen” by Maurice Sendak, a childhood favorite among millions, had its illustrations altered. That destroys the sentiment and innocence of the book.

So many brilliant books that were read to me as a child are banned now and for what purpose?

Challenged or banned chilldren’s books include, “In the Night Kitchen” by Maurice Sendack; “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendack; “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein,; “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White; “Strega Nona” by Tomie de Paola; “Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret?” by Judy Blume.

What is completely ridiculous about banning a children’s book is that the reasons an adult has for banning a book, like a certain theme, is one a child is highly unlikely to pick up on.

In addition, it is the caregivers’ responsibility to prepare their children to read. For example, if you aren’t comfortable with an innocent book talking about witchcraft and want the book banned, it isn’t the author’s fault that you didn’t prepare your child for the book when it came across their path.

The author is not resposible for how you react. Stomping the streets against a book that you simply don’t like is a waste of time.

To paraphrase Doctor Who, books are weapons and libraries are the greatest arsenals.

Harry Potter got many children reading and that is a great thing! Don’t challenge or ban Harry Potter books just because they talk about withcraft. Plus, if you truly had a problem with the subject, then you shouldn’t let your children participate in Halloween activities, which, by the way, has roots in Christianity.

There is a book, published in 1926, which the United States has never been banned nor restricted based on first ammendment rights.

While the cover may have somehow been improved by photoshop a little, you can see the book is “Mein Kampf” by Adolf Hitler. Yes, that is correct, the autobiography of the person responsible for World War II is not banned.

“Good Night Moon” was banned at the New York Public Library for 25 years by the head of the children’s department, a very powerful woman whose opinion meant so much in the book world that other libraries banned “Good Night Moon” too. Yet, a book written by a man who is responsible for so much hate and millions of deaths was there being checked out. How much sense does that make?

Fortunately, in 1972, on the silver anniversary of “Good Night Moon”, it was finally put on the shelves of the New York Public library.

The American Library Association has an amazing website of challenged and banned books. So, why not support your local libraries always but especially this October during Banned Books Week.

Show how necessary your library is and how appreciated it is. Under the current administration, serious cuts in libraries have already been made.

If government cuts funding to libraries is that censorship?

Read “1984” by George Orwell, then find your own Julia to discover the answer.

The most important thing to remember in banning books is that in the end, children have held these books for many years and were not killed by one of them. However, there is something out there that is killing children–guns.

How many school shootings? How many dead children? How young? It extends beyond schools to accidental shootings and street shootings.

WAKE UP PEOPLE!

There is an epidemic of homicide in children and we need to be the healers of this epidemic.

Let’s just stop focusing on banning books and start focusing on banning guns.

Miriam Kavanagh