[A tip o’ the tam to “Right_of_Attila” commenting at Hot Air]
No, not the Palin Banned Books List Hoax; the PC Banned Books List scandal-that-never-was-but-ought-to-be.
Oh, there are numerous books “banned” (not purchased, widely eschewed) by public libraries throughout the land, but these books are more often than not “banned” by a PC climate that stifles free enquiry, “burns” with scorn books that are non-PC, and refuses worthwhile reading to the public.
Perhaps one example will suffice to spur some reader to personal investigation of this silent banning.
The Story of Little Black Sambo. Oh, you may well find a copy of Sam and the tigers : a new telling of Little Black Sambo, a politically correct revoicing of the story.
But the original story is far, far from an offensive racist tale. It is an heroic tale of pluck, determination, wit and a young boy who courageously overcomes great odds while accomplishing something worthwhile.
So why is it really so widely “banned”–excluded from collections, weeded, discarded, gone? Because, I suspect, it portrays a child “of color” with intelligence and determination who courageously overcomes great odds while accomplishing something worthwhile. That alone would be enough to get it on a leftist whitey plantation owner’s hit list. Can’t have lil black boys (or lil black girls, for that matter) exposed to such uppity ideas, now can we?
*feh*
Check and see if your library has the original story in its collection.. If it doesn’t, (the third world county library doesn’t) burn your library card at the front desk (too late; I destroyed my twc library card long ago… ).
Note: I know a responsible librarian personally, very well, and there are cases where patron concerns must be addressed. This usually can be accomplished by recataloging items that may be unsuitable for certain ages, simple discussion of concerns by patrons, etc., but there may well be legitimate instances where books may be removed from collections for cause. I wouldn’t, for example, advocate removal of a book by Dan Blather, simply because he was the author, but I would demand a close investigation of any book by him concerning Rathergate, and if it were simply another weasel-worded excuse for his lies, damned lies and “fake but accurate” non-journalism, I’d militate mightily to be allowed to be the one to burn the damned thing, along with Dan Blather in effigy… while no doubt whooping “Courage Courage!” at the top of my lungs. *heh*
Trackposted to Rosemary’s Thoughts, Democrat=Socialist, and Dumb Ox Daily News, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.