“Banning books give us silence when we need speech. It closes our ears when we need to listen. It makes us blind when we need sight” (Stephen Chbosky). The First Amendment guarantees Americans the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Freedom of the press means the government can not restrict television, radio, internet, or what is printed in newspapers and books. It also allows the dissemination of literature and the right to receive it. Without this freedom, the public would be less informed. Despite this bill being passed in 1789, it is still debated today.
According to Webster’s Dictionary, to censor means to examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable. Censorship involves groups …show more content…
Those that are for censorship believe it protects the minds of children from evils in our society, creates less conflict and makes life more orderly. Violence, rumors, and racism can be shielded from the public. Censorship protects the privacy of people. In reality, censorship creates more followers and less leaders. There is less intellectual stimulation, both sides of issues are often not presented and there is a decrease of awareness of world issues. It prevents learning from mistakes and promotes unrealistic expectations. Censorship goes against the freedom to speak. It does not allow people to express their ideas freely, and instead, it controls …show more content…
Teachers avoid the questionable material to avoid conflict, and students suffer only learning “safe” material labeled by the censors. Even more often, textbook publishers remove or edit material to increase sales and to avoid being censored. All of the following books have been subject to banning based on racism, sexual references, religion, and witchcraft: To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, Huckleberry Finn, The Scarlet Letter, The Catcher in the Rye, Harry Potter, and many others. These novels have been used in the educational system to teach values and empathy. Many people connect to these books and would not of experienced what these books have to offer if they would have been banned. The First Amendment is not just to protect the popular choices, it is to protect them all. The law does not guarantee that books will be accessible, in libraries, stores or taught in schools, Book censorship is often hidden from the public and we, the people, have the obligation to be the stewards of our First Amendment rights and continue the practice of
According to Webster’s Dictionary, to censor means to examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable. Censorship involves groups …show more content…
Those that are for censorship believe it protects the minds of children from evils in our society, creates less conflict and makes life more orderly. Violence, rumors, and racism can be shielded from the public. Censorship protects the privacy of people. In reality, censorship creates more followers and less leaders. There is less intellectual stimulation, both sides of issues are often not presented and there is a decrease of awareness of world issues. It prevents learning from mistakes and promotes unrealistic expectations. Censorship goes against the freedom to speak. It does not allow people to express their ideas freely, and instead, it controls …show more content…
Teachers avoid the questionable material to avoid conflict, and students suffer only learning “safe” material labeled by the censors. Even more often, textbook publishers remove or edit material to increase sales and to avoid being censored. All of the following books have been subject to banning based on racism, sexual references, religion, and witchcraft: To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, Huckleberry Finn, The Scarlet Letter, The Catcher in the Rye, Harry Potter, and many others. These novels have been used in the educational system to teach values and empathy. Many people connect to these books and would not of experienced what these books have to offer if they would have been banned. The First Amendment is not just to protect the popular choices, it is to protect them all. The law does not guarantee that books will be accessible, in libraries, stores or taught in schools, Book censorship is often hidden from the public and we, the people, have the obligation to be the stewards of our First Amendment rights and continue the practice of