always, davilin.marie

just installed babblr…wtf do i do now?

…waiting for the endless not chatting to happen

oh wait, it already has!

So, I was cruising the internet when I decided to check out ACLU Texas’ list of banned books in 2011 (not banned by ACLU, reported). Included on this list were several books that had me scratching my head and saying what the fuck, man.

For example.
Merriam-Webster’s Visual Dictionary for “sexual content or nudity” and was placed in the restricted section.

While other schools banned books that very well encouraged further ignorance and intolerance of others.

Visit Into the Daily Lives of Muslim Teenagers was challenged for being “offensive to religious beliefs” and “drugs or alcohol.” In this case an alternate book/video choice was made available.

THIS IS ‘MERICA!!!

Egg to Chick, a book detailing the process of an egg cell’s development into a chick, was challenged for the use of the word “sperm.”

Of course the book wasn’t challenged, just a word…this makes me wonder what other word would they have preferred?

I wonder if spermatozoa was too much as well? Oooh, how about semen or seminal fluid? I know, let’s just call it the male generated gamete, that will clear things up!

Furthermore, the book Everything You Need to Know About Aids over the discovery, causes, transmission, treatment, and protection was challenged and relegated to high school use only for it’s “sexual content or nudity.”

STDs…what STDs? They’re called cooties and you get them from looking at a boy or girl in the eyes. Also, you will go blind and grow fur on the back of your hands.

Of course having informed youth will be the end of us all so keeping such offensive literature away from them is of the utmost importance. I find that feeding them a deluge of information that strives to keep them ignorant and self-loathing is so much more appropriate. (sarcasm alert)

The implications that merely challenging these books further propagates the societally constructed taboos which serve to repress, depress, and injustice our nations peoples are unfathomable. Yet, such shame, dogma, and intolerance are rampant.

It worries me that teachers, let alone parents, are incapable of maintaining open and responsible dialogue with their students and children. I understand that certain topics are best discussed at home but regardless the lack of communication and most importantly education provided openly and non-judgmentally is severely lacking.

This whole mess makes me sad. It makes me want to donate stacks of these banned and challenged books to the very schools that banned and challenged them. It makes me wonder why such issues are so easily swept under the rug in the name of protecting our children.

Protecting them from what? Knowledge, apparently.

We’d rather see our soldiers holding guns than holding hands.

There is so much more that could be said in reference to this and the lack of open education and communication about a variety of topics but that would take a very long time. My rant is over for now.

If you would like to view the list for yourself please visit: ALCU TX Report on Banned and Challenged Books by clicking this link.

So tell me, what is your opinion on banning books?