And it was something to behold.
Let me begin by giving a bit of back story about my passion for reading.
When I was in 5th grade, I saw “library hour” as a blow off, a time to chat with my neighbor at our little tables. Our librarian, Mrs. Stephan to be exact, had my number. One day she appeared at my chair, hand extended. Well, hello, I knew I had to take her hand.
She led me to a book shelf and pulled out a book called “The Pink Motel.” She said, “I think you’ll like this book. It’s new and so interesting.” I took the book and headed back to my table. But oh no, she re-directed me to an empty table, and said “I think you’ll be better able to enjoy this book here.”
So, I started the book. What else was there to do? And I was a bit intrigued. I took that book home with me, and I kept reading. And that was the book and the time that I fell in love with reading, and it changed my life. (“The Pink Motel” by Carol Ryrie Brink was written in the 50’s and was amazingly prescient and ahead of its time. I gave it to my niece years ago, and she loved it, some 30 years after it was written.)
Starting with that book, reading became to me a world of wonders. Mrs. Stephen and I totally bonded, and she kept directing me to books, and I kept reading them. Huge hat tip to all great librarians out there. From that time on, I don’t think I’ve ever been without a book. In fact, I get kind of panicked if I’m nearing the end of a book without one or more lined up to follow.
Reading under the sheets with a flashlight after lights out time became like the height of adventure and rebellion in my young life. Since then reading has provided me with knowledge of lives and places I would/will never have the time or ability to explore. Reading has been like a really dear friend who never lets you down—-not even with a bad book, as that’s a part of learning what we think is a good book. Reading has over and over again, allowed me to leave my world, my worries and anxieties, and focus on the wider story, the heroes and charlatans, the good and the bad and everything in-between—everything that makes your world bigger by simply turning a page. And best of all, allows you to grow the confidence to make up your own mind about what you read and how you feel about it.
So this book banning thing has been making me crazy! So many things these days to be outraged about, but this one squeezes the hell out of my bookworm heart. When I happened to tune into Joy Reid tonight, I had no idea that she was going to tackle this subject like a star quarter back who knows just where to throw the ball.
I started to watch it, and I wanted to make some notes, but I couldn’t because it was a shoot out at the OK corral, fast and furious and Joy was brave and prepared. She pushed back on this Mom for Liberty like we always beg for push back against these bullshitters.
The things I remember that stood out, were, first of all, Joy repeatedly asking this Mom for Liberty, (paraphrased but as close as my memory allows me) “You want control of what your kids read. OK, I understand that. But what about me, what about what I want my children to read, that might differ from your opinions? Why should your POV be the only one considered?” This turned the Mom for Liberty into mush, and she babbled something entirely and obviously unsatisfactory.
Then, Joy pulled out something called an “opt out” document, which says that any parent can sign this form, that disallows their children to check out anything from the library that a parent does not approve of. Thereby allowing every parent their input. Mom for Liberty stutters her response which is basically, “Well Joy, that’s a good start.”
Believe me, Joy had to ride hard over this woman’s attempts to repeatedly roll her. The Mom for Liberty kept trying to turn the tables on Joy and ask her questions. Joy rebuffed that by saying, “Let’s be clear, I’m interviewing you, you’re not interviewing me.” I can’t think of a time when any of the MSNBC crew has gone after anything like Joy did tonight. And of course, this brings up the perennial issue of access. If we push too hard, they won’t come back on our show. Well yes, I don’t think too many Moms for Liberty will venture into Joy’s lair again.
But so freaking what? What good is access if the end result is allowing a platform to people who think they should make OUR parental decisions for us? And are willing to spew all kinds of bullshit to defend the idea that they and they alone deserve autocracy.
Here is a list of recently banned and challenged books from Barnes and Noble. You might think you know it’s bad, but chances are you don’t know how bad it is.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/banned-books/_/N-rtm
This gives you just a taste and I won’t list all the books that are now banned or challenged in various districts in the United States of America. Just google “books challenged or banned by the right” and you will come up with list after gob smacking list. It should raise the hair on the back of your neck, because these lists include so many of the classics, as well as excellent new and diverse voices. It is shocking in a time when you think you can’t be more shocked.
I will add in one more kicker though. Charlotte’s Webb is on one of those lists, because “some school districts aimed to ban the book from schools because they believed the book has unsuitable topics for children to read about. One major complaint was that the story portrayed talking animals that can communicate and act just like humans.” Look out Disney, it’s not just DeSantis coming for you anymore. Good bye Micky Mouse.
It is not surprising that “Fahrenheit 451” is on the hit list. But then that book is antiquated even as it attempted to reach into the future. After all, why burn books when you can just get on a school board and ban them. So much more tidy.
IMO, we are up against the “Christian Taliban” in so many ways, and I don’t think that’s one bit hyperbolic. Thank you Joy Reid, for not being afraid to go there.
