Categories: Latest PostsOpinion

Banning Books – A Good Idea

This week is “Banned Books Week” and I’ve seen a lot of posts against the practice of banning books. As a long time reader I often scoffed at those trying to ban books, however, now that my beloved daughter entered first grade I see things differently.

1 )      Books can give you paper cuts.
2 )      Books can make you angry and sad
3 )      Romance books gives a young, impressionable lady unrealistic view of life
4 )      Mysteries hurt the brain too much
5 )      Paranormal is just … freaky and G-d knows I need my sleep and wake up enough times without being woken up more times than I should.
6 )      Biographies are scary
7 )      History books are boring and really, who needs to know about the past when the future is so bright?
8 )      Stopping to read books will free up some time for her to help around the house (wishful thinking), watch wholesome TV shows and practice her hand/eye coordination with video games.
9 )      Reading can give her the unrealistic idea that life is “fair” and that the good guys actually win.

Of course banning books has many other benefits:

1 )      Many banned books have become best sellers.
2 )      Banning books allows us to identify the idiots among us.
3 )      Banning books entices our children “to read with promises of vulgarity” (see video below).

Did I miss anything?

Zohar – Man of la Book

Man of la Book

A father, husband, avid reader, blogger, software engineer & wood worker who is known the world over as a man of many interests and to his wife as “an idiot”.

View Comments

  • Ha! Yes they can give you paper cuts, which is why I read more and more on my Kindle! As the parent of a teen who reads nothing unless forced and a nine year old that I have to make stop reading I have differant views on books depending on the child. For the teen, I would love to see her read just about anything at this point and the little one? I am still right there with her when she is picking out books. I dont believe in book banning but I believe in positive selection for the little readers. There is plenty of time in her life for her to read crap.

    ctny

  • Books make you *gasp* think, and realize that there is more to the world than your little neck of the woods.

    Wonderful post.

  • You missed that fact that most banned books were never, in fact, banned. Challenged, maybe, but there's not a single one that has never been accessible.
    And let's not forget the number one banned book of all time (on a worldwide scale): the Bible.

    • Thanks for the comment Sharon. I actually didn't list any banned books. I have a feeling though that one of the main reasons that the bible gets challenged often is simply pushback.

  • Another reason is because books teach kids to think for themselves, we wouldn't want that. Imagine the chaos it would create.

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