Sudi Meets the World Article 3
Is book banning and burning still a thing of the past? Should we as a group of people be afraid that people who disagree with certain books might try to make the power were books are banned from libraries, schools, and other places? With the current story of one lady trying to ban the Harry Potter Book Series from her child’s school one would think that the burning times might not be such a thing of the past anymore.
I personally felt the whole thought that someone would try to ban a book series that is fantasy related just due to it being about a wizard is a bit absurd at best, have we come to a world where we have to be afraid of what we write just because it might get banned when it is a writer’s creative license? Are we in danger that books like Harry Potter and countless others that are considered fantasy will be banned from our shelves just due to one person?
Will we soon hear more Boards of Education and other places such as boards for libraries and other places on the subject of banning? Will burning of books will be soon following the possible banning that might be happening with books? Will there be more parents who are closed minded that they not only link books of fantasy to the Wiccan and Pagan religions make things rough and ban books just because they simply don’t like the supposed messages in these works of fiction? Will this make things even more difficult for those of us of Pagan and Wiccan faiths?
It seems that instead of people, especially parents in this case, not explaining things on why they might be so against a series. Instead it seems people are using the easy way out and rant, rave, and try to get something banned instead of really seeing things in a different light and remembering that this book is a work of fiction. Writers shouldn’t have to worry about their books being banned just due to one person or a group of people that do not take the time to realize that it is not real when it’s a work of fiction and to have a closed enough mind to believe that the author is suggesting doing certain things. People need to not be so closed minded and to realize that just because a religion of any type regardless if it is Wicca or anything else doesn’t mean that it is real on the whole description, because when it comes to works of fiction there is not going to be a true account of everything a religion is, and that one religion is not evil just because one might feel that it is due to a description of it in a book.
In this writer’s opinion the person trying to get the book banned just because it supposedly promotes witchcraft needs to do a few things. Instead of just complaining and trying to get this book banned this person need to take time out and really understand what Witchcraft is and also needs a good reminder that the book is fiction and that not everything in books are going to be real. If it is labeled fiction that means that it is just a story of imagination. Maybe this person needs to open their eyes more and realize that trying to ban this book just because she disapproves of it isn’t going to truly solve her problem on this because books are going to keep being written that she will not agree with.
She will need to come to realize that she is either going to open her mind more and realize the actual fictional elements of this book and also take the time to actually have a conversation with her child if she disapproves the book, but I believe if this child is interested they will find a way to read it regardless. I am sure that other books in the future will probably come to where they might be argued on getting banned. I am hoping there are enough people out there that will fight on books getting banned and also fight on them never being burned if things were to come to that point.
Just remember everyone that we all have voices. Although we might disagree with this lady’s choice of trying to get this book banned there are probably many things that we as individuals disagree on. We as a group must remember that although there might be many different debates on what might be good and bad books for people, but we must remember that we must let everyone choose their own types of books to read, and even as parents we need to be more open minded and remember the definition of fiction.
This article can be reprinted in it's entirety without notice as long as this by line is included. Mandy Shorb is currently writing for Sotell Magazine at http://sotall.org she currently lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Visit her website at http://mysite.verizon.net/resta7lh/emotivopoesia/index.html and her blog http://mandyshorb.blogspot.com.
I personally felt the whole thought that someone would try to ban a book series that is fantasy related just due to it being about a wizard is a bit absurd at best, have we come to a world where we have to be afraid of what we write just because it might get banned when it is a writer’s creative license? Are we in danger that books like Harry Potter and countless others that are considered fantasy will be banned from our shelves just due to one person?
Will we soon hear more Boards of Education and other places such as boards for libraries and other places on the subject of banning? Will burning of books will be soon following the possible banning that might be happening with books? Will there be more parents who are closed minded that they not only link books of fantasy to the Wiccan and Pagan religions make things rough and ban books just because they simply don’t like the supposed messages in these works of fiction? Will this make things even more difficult for those of us of Pagan and Wiccan faiths?
It seems that instead of people, especially parents in this case, not explaining things on why they might be so against a series. Instead it seems people are using the easy way out and rant, rave, and try to get something banned instead of really seeing things in a different light and remembering that this book is a work of fiction. Writers shouldn’t have to worry about their books being banned just due to one person or a group of people that do not take the time to realize that it is not real when it’s a work of fiction and to have a closed enough mind to believe that the author is suggesting doing certain things. People need to not be so closed minded and to realize that just because a religion of any type regardless if it is Wicca or anything else doesn’t mean that it is real on the whole description, because when it comes to works of fiction there is not going to be a true account of everything a religion is, and that one religion is not evil just because one might feel that it is due to a description of it in a book.
In this writer’s opinion the person trying to get the book banned just because it supposedly promotes witchcraft needs to do a few things. Instead of just complaining and trying to get this book banned this person need to take time out and really understand what Witchcraft is and also needs a good reminder that the book is fiction and that not everything in books are going to be real. If it is labeled fiction that means that it is just a story of imagination. Maybe this person needs to open their eyes more and realize that trying to ban this book just because she disapproves of it isn’t going to truly solve her problem on this because books are going to keep being written that she will not agree with.
She will need to come to realize that she is either going to open her mind more and realize the actual fictional elements of this book and also take the time to actually have a conversation with her child if she disapproves the book, but I believe if this child is interested they will find a way to read it regardless. I am sure that other books in the future will probably come to where they might be argued on getting banned. I am hoping there are enough people out there that will fight on books getting banned and also fight on them never being burned if things were to come to that point.
Just remember everyone that we all have voices. Although we might disagree with this lady’s choice of trying to get this book banned there are probably many things that we as individuals disagree on. We as a group must remember that although there might be many different debates on what might be good and bad books for people, but we must remember that we must let everyone choose their own types of books to read, and even as parents we need to be more open minded and remember the definition of fiction.
This article can be reprinted in it's entirety without notice as long as this by line is included. Mandy Shorb is currently writing for Sotell Magazine at http://sotall.org she currently lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Visit her website at http://mysite.verizon.net/resta7lh/emotivopoesia/index.html and her blog http://mandyshorb.blogspot.com.
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