I want to talk about book banning. Why? I wear many different hats, with one of them being a geek. The problem is that I’m also a bibliophile as well. Because of this, the banning, censorship, or burning of books, does not sit well with me. It really doesn’t. Even though it happened thousands of years ago, before I was born, the loss of the Great Library of Alexandria, is something I still think about. Sorry Elsa, but I can’t let it go.
My Geek-Sense went off in January 2022, when I discovered Maus, by Art Spiegelman, was removed from various schools’ curriculum, by a board of trustees, for McMinn County Schools, Tennessee, United States of America. I was in utter disbelief.
I learnt later that V for Vendetta, and Y: The Last Man have also been banned in some Texan schools, along with many others. Now this is not me getting angry about graphic novels getting attacked, but also other mediums like novels; fiction and non-fiction.
Contemporary writers are having their books challenged and banned, for the craziest of reasons. Some of the reasons include nudity, anti-police themes, racism, violence, and LGBTQIA+ themes. This of course is not excluding the hundreds of other books, over hundreds of years, that have been challenged by idiots.
Far better writers, journalists, and reporters, have already written about the growing trend of book banning and book censorship. They can give you a far better understanding of the reasons, but also provide a far more comprehensive analysis of this problem.
As a geek, bibliophile, and a parent, how do I truly feel about this plague of nonsense? Well I’m glad you asked, because I’ve decided to put my feelings into a poem; which is a Some Geek Told Me first.
Many books are banned each year,
Some try to make them disappear.
Policing and objecting to the text,
Banning, burning, redacting, what’s next?!
Books we need for kids to learn,
They pile them high and watch them burn.
Ignorance and misinformation are the tools,
They use to remove books from schools.
They do not like this book named Maus,
They won’t allow it in the house.
A book where two girls kiss,
“Better give this a miss!”
Anne Frank’s diary is historically impressing,
Censors banned it, because it was too depressing.
Banning books is a sure fire way,
To bring new readers to the fray.
This war on books is doomed to fail,
The words will endure to tell their tale.
I could have written more, but I’m positive, I’d just end up swearing with every 4th word. Banning a book, for whatever reason, devalues the world and children’s education. Children need to read content, written by someone outside of their social and cultural bubble, but also read about concepts that are in the community and the world.
I’m like Schrödinger’s bibliophile friend, that’s in a box with a list of banned books. From the outside, you have no idea whether I’m angry or sad. You only know the answer, when you open the box and observe my emotion.
The trouble is, I’m stuck in a superposition as being angry and sad, at the same time; all of the time, over censorship and book banning. And the only thing I can really say is, go and read as many banned books as you can.
Seriously, read them; just read them. Visit the library or buy them for yourself; buy them for your spouse, parents, children, friends, siblings, or even the crazy guy with the billboard; but please just read them.
You do not like them.
So you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may, I say. – Dr. Seuss
Do you have a favourite banned book? If you do, please tell me about it. Thanks for reading, wash your hands, and I’ll see you next week!
SOME GEEK TOLD ME 
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