Time to celebrate Banned Books Week, since the ALA (American Library Association) has put out the list of the most challenged graphic novels. Some were understandable, others, I’m scratching my head here. Example: Maus has been challenged as being “Anti-Ethnic”. I don’t get where that’s coming from since it teaches of the horrors of the Holocaust. Now, Sandman, I understand, it’s not age-appropriate, but why would that be in a school anyways? Or Watchmen, which was “unsuited to age group”? What age are we talking about here?
“Not every book is right for each reader, but we should have the right to think for ourselves and allow others to do the same,” said ALA President Roberta Stevens. “How can we live in a free society and develop our own opinions if our right to choose reading materials for ourselves and our families is taken away? We must remain diligent and protect our freedom to read.”
Again, I think it’s silly for other people (read: strangers) to decide what is suitable for other people to read. Other than the fact it’s cost people their librarian positions for making that decision, it’s just morally wrong.
So go out there and enjoy these fine, banned books.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
How can they leave out PREACHER, TRANSMETROPOLITAN, LOST GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, etc? I recommend them all, except for DARK KNIGHT STRIKES BACK.
September 28th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
The ALA list is based on actual challenges in libraries. The titles that Jason Ragle has listed have most likely not been challenged, or the challenges were handled locally and never reported to ALA or to the media. Based on my experiences over the past 27 years in libraries, and based on the challenges that have made national news over the past few years, these challenges happen most often when adults find their children and teens reading books they (the adults) don’t think they should, and therefore, by golly, those books shouldn’t be in the library. If kids aren’t checking out books and letting their parents find them, the books won’t get challenged.
September 28th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Well, I agree with banning Dark Knight Strikes Again, simply because it’s terrible.
Why the hell is Bone on the most banned list though?
September 29th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Sexual Content in Blankets? There isn’t anything in there except some upper nudity and lots of spooning. What the balls?