Opinion: Book banning doesn't 'protect' readers, it limits them to one mindset
Of all the gifts my parents gave me, perhaps the most valuable over time was my free public library card. That card opened worlds to me, transported me over time, made me aware of myself and of others. This because of books.
Books are potent. A book can cause you to question assumptions, prejudices, weigh other viewpoints and, if you’re a kid, to say things that will cause parents’ hair to stand on end. No wonder that two local closely aligned conservative groups are pushing for the removal of certain books from public school libraries. They are so wrong in their thinking. By attacking books, they are seeking to close minds, to stifle ideas and to shut down conversations that books spark.
Writer Olivia Garrett reports that the books are being targeted because of their sexual content, very often gay themes and, that new monster under the bed, “critical race theory.” The latter has become a code word for facts that upset people.
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The list of books that have been targeted over the years, as listed by the American Library Association, includes some classics: “The Catcher in the Rye,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Bless me, Ultima.” Some have objected to The Holy Bible being on library shelves. The reason? “Has a religious viewpoint,” objectioners said. Yeah, that is a dangerous book that could change lives.
A constant on the lists is “The Kite Runner,” a novel that according to objectioners “includes sexual violence" and was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam.” One of the local groups, the ironically named “Moms for Liberty”, wants this book removed from school shelves. The Taliban agrees; they have banned the book in Afghanistan.
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Not every book should be read by everyone, but every reader should have the chance to read any book. Banning a book because it doesn’t align with someone’s values deprives someone of a book, of an idea, of a viewpoint that could be valuable to their lives.
The wave of book banning efforts across the nation has put librarians and especially school librarians under enormous pressure. Librarians are, in essence, custodians of knowledge and ideas. But book banning isn’t about educating minds. It’s about squeezing everyone into one mindset.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I came across “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac. It was a novel that had sex, drinking, and characters that caroused across the country, seeking the next experience. As a kid yearning to get out, I loved that novel. It was not on my high school recommended reading list, but my English teacher, with a slight smile, allowed me to stand before the class and give an oral book report. I believed I had ripped the ceiling off conformity.
Many years later, I tried re-reading “On the Road.” I found it boring. It was a book that was important to me for a certain time in my life and that time had passed. Young readers need that opportunity to find the book that is important to their lives.
Nick Jimenez has worked as a reporter, city editor and editorial page editor for more than 40 years in Corpus Christi. He is currently the editorial page editor emeritus for the Caller-Times.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Opinion: Book banning doesn't 'protect' readers, it limits them to one mindset
