Should this book have been banned from school library?

[cynatnite]

Censorship is always a challenging subject and after getting slammed over my opinion about Hillary's involvement over a video game I remembered something that was in my Jr. High library.

It was a book about abortion. I remember it was a small paperback and something about it prompted me to check it out. It was probably because I knew so little about it. The subject was never discussed when I was growing up.

Anyway, I read it and was horrified not just by what it said, but also with the very graphic photos. It was more or less a propaganda tool to influence the reader concerning abortion.

This is not something I would want my kids to have access to in school, but banning books makes me very uneasy. I have no idea if it sits in any library today. This was back in the late 70's. So my question is, do you believe a book like this should be banned from school libraries?

[BamaLefty]

1. Censorship......

A short paper I did this past school year.

MY THOUGHTS ON CENSORSHIP

Censorship is defined as the systematic use of group power to broadly control freedom of speech and expression. Essentially, censorship includes any attempt to suppress information, points of view, or methods of expression such as art, or profanity, but it may also include sensitive matters relating to national security.


In what circumstances would censorship aid a free society? Certainly, most would agree that certain subjects are appropriately censured. For example, most would agree that censorship is needed in controlling the production and distribution of child pornography. Similarly, censorship may also be deemed as necessary in protecting intelligence and/or ”top secret” information relating to national security.


On the other hand, most Americans take a dim view of censorship because it runs counter to the First Amendment. For example, many people find book burning to be offensive because we remember the book burning days of Nazi Germany. In fact, many associate censorship with the Nazis.


Ironically, this country faced censorship during John Adams’ administration in 1798. In a vale attempt to protect the United States from "dangerous" aliens, the Alien and Sedition Acts were used by the Federalist Party (now known as the Republican Party) in an attempt to stop the growth of the Democratic-Republican Party (now known as the Democratic Party). The Sedition Act made it a crime to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against government or government officials. Fortunately, our country was blessed with champions such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. These two gentlemen led the fight to expose The Sedition Act as being contrary to the Constitution and its Bill of Rights. The Sedition Act was repealed and ultimately contributed to the Federalists' loss in the election of 1800.


In conclusion, censorship is neither good nor bad. In censoring ideas or philosophies, one must be careful, however, not to allow religious and political leaders to advance their agendas by encroaching on the rights of others. As a result of two of our freedoms, press and speech, we are today better informed of what our government officials are doing than ever before. Censorship is healthy, however, when it is used to either protect our country and protect those who cannot protect themselves. As with anything worthy of deep thought, we must be cautious in limiting rights of expression, however.

[cynatnite]

3. Excellent!

If it were possible to nominate your post alone, I would!

I heard of the Sedition Act, but never gave it too much thought. I see some reading up on it is in order :)

Very well done and thanks!

[bryant69]

4. I don't know about a direct link from the Federalists to the Republicans

But other than that it is interesting.

I don't know how you determine when Censorship to protect our country is justified.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[BamaLefty]

7. Wouldn't A Federalist In Those Days Be A Repub Today?

:shrug:

[bryant69]

8. I don't know

On the one hand, the federalists were pro-business - which makes them more like the repubs. But they were also in favor of Government solving problems, which makes them more like us (Jefferson wanted very minimilist government).

Bryant
Check it out - > http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[imenja]

2. I don't believe in banning books

but when ordering books, one selects those most appropriate for the library in question. I myself wouldn't have chosen that one. Nor would I, for example, order Ulysses or a collection of graduate level monographs for a grade school library.

[Erika]

5. In the early 70's

birth control pills was still a highly controversial issue with many religions against their use. They came out with studies like "the pill" will cause cancer and make you sterile, etc.

It wasn't until the issue of the thalidomide babies was abortion looked at as an acceptable option to giving birth. The rich women were traveling over to Europe for abortions while the poor here, who had taken the drug, were forced to give birth to children with severe birth defects.

The country matured at that time about abortion.

[joneschick]

6. no, not banned

in the library where it could be found and considered yes. The book is propaganda and you understood that. I graduated from h.s. in '74 and I had a teacher who put up posters with those same pictures in her classroom. She taught home ec and family living....whatever the hell that was.

[cynatnite]

9. What a nutjob of a teacher you had

These same people who use such graphic images won't use ones from war. Someone here at DU mentioned seeing a vehicle of some sort with pictures such as these not too long ago.

Isn't it funny they won't cart around equally graphic ones of dead children from the Iraq war?

[magicmax]

10. Video games are a touchy subject around here

B-)

[cynatnite]

11. I learned it so fast

I still can't sit right in my chair :blush:

[DanCa]

12. No

I dont like it and would argue that it belongs in with philosphy section rather than the science section but banning books is wrong.

[Ilsa]

13. Hey, if they printed pictures of what they did to people

prior to any surgery, you probably wouldn't want the surgery. It isn't pretty or discrete.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Not banned

but kept somewhere other than on the shelves where any kid can pick it up.

[AlwaysQuestion]

15. Welll..........

My gut instinct is this. I believe it should be allowed to remain in school libraries with one proviso. No child shall be permitted to check the book out unless s/he checks it out in combo with one or more books which cover adequately the following: (1) abstinence (2)premarital sex and (3) birth control. I think a child needs to look at sex from every possible angle.

A woman's right to choose is NOT the business of the state, nor is it the business of any individual except the woman herself. That anyone could even entertain the idea of denying a woman an abortion either through propaganda, coercion, or worse is patently absurd and wrong. Thus, I would consider an evil, meddling moron anyone who would recommend the book you are talking about to someone who is pregnant and considering an abortion. At the point a woman is trying to make up her mind about an abortion is NOT the time to offer such a book to her. The woman is entitled to make her choice based on what's good for her at that stage in her life. Still the woman might want to research abortion from every angle before coming to a determination. That, of course, is a different story and she should follow her own dictates.

Who could argue against providing youngsters at an appropriate age all manner of information about sex before they become sexually active?

Personally I am opposed to premarital sex for teenagers for pragmatic reasons. But they should be given access to every piece of information about sex and abortion before they launch into what we hope will be for them years of sexual pleasure. But they must know and understand the related responsibilities that go along with sex--said she from the mount. ;)