As the famous philosopher Voltaire has been paraphrased, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year as Banned Books Week (BBW). Reminding Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted, this annual American Library Association (ALA) event has been observed since 1982. BBW’s 28th anniversary is celebrated this year September 26 through October 3.
Intellectual freedom can exist only where two essential conditions are met
1. The freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.
2. Ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them.
BBW celebration stresses the importance of these rights and is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores and is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
The most frequently challenged books of 2008
The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom received a total of 513 challenges last year. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, the number of challenges reflects only incidents reported and for each reported, four or five remain unreported.
The “10 Most Challenged Books of 2008” reflect a range of themes and consist of the following titles:
1. “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
2. “His Dark Materials trilogy,” by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence
3. “TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R” (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
4. “Scary Stories” (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence
5. “Bless Me, Ultima,” by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence
6. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group
7. “Gossip Girl” (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
8. “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group
9. “The Kite Runner,” by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
10. “Flashcards of My Life,” by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group
Source: Office for Intellectual Freedom: www.ala.org
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