So, now that we’ve explored the different angles of Banned
Books Week (well… three. I only have a week and writing for this website is a
part-part-part time gig) It’s time to think of action. So, what can you do to
be a proper rabble-rouser and ensure free access for all and that banning books
are a bad thing? Bad Shakespeare is here to help.
-The most obvious, of course, is to not ban a
book, or complain when you see someone reading a book. I mean, getting a
book banned is a very deliberate act, you aren't going to do it accidentally.
So I guess this falls under the universal guide for living, “Don’t ruin it for
everyone else.”
-Read a banned book. You may be
disappointed to find that they aren’t as salacious as you would like. See the
television show South Park for an
excellent example of just how disappointing banned books can be when it comes
to sex and violence.
-Give someone a banned book. “The Hunger
Games” is on that list. Chances are that you have given someone a banned book
without even knowing it. But go deeper. Actively give someone a banned book and
say, “hey, this is so good it’s illegal.”
The second you make something illegal, it goes way up in demand, if my time at
the Economics Department at George Mason has taught me anything.
-Support your local library. I know, I
know. Right now you don’t even have to leave your couch if you want to watch a
movie and get a pizza. Google will provide you with a billion pages on the
subject that you are looking for. Kindles, Nooks, and Ipads (sorry Kobo users)
create a world where you can literally download any book, ever, and a lot of
the classics are free. But libraries aren't just about books, they’re also
about a sense of community of going to a place and learning something. These
are the places that are under attack when you hear of a book being removed from
the shelves for being “too awesome” as I've proven with my previous two
statements.
-Keep an open mind. This means completely
open. This means not just supporting the crazy, wacky ideas that you love, but
also supporting the crazy, wacky ideas that you hate. The First Amendment wasn't created to protect popular speech. Everyone can nod their head and get behind me
when I say that Firefly may have been
the best show ever created. But when someone says, Firefly sucks, that is the person that needs protection, because they
are taking the least popular view. Our Founding Fathers (and noted Firefly fans) loved their free speech.
In fact, that was the first thing they thought of when founding our country.
Minds are like bear traps. The second they close, they become deadly.
-Speak up against censorship. Earlier
this year, a group called “One Million Moms” spoke out against one of my
favorite comic books, because it dared to show a gay man as a superhero (THE
HUMANITY!) Throwing aside that there aren't anywhere close to “One Million” of
them, I wrote a rather nice piece about how I felt this changed nothing about
the Green Lantern. I did this because I had a forum. I try to reach as many
people as I can with this blog, and I will continue to do so until I can no
longer type, or the machines cut off access to the internet before the
Robot-Human war. That’s one way I will continue to speak against censorship of
any kind. You find your way to do it. It can be as simple as attending the PTA
meeting to talk those out of censorship. Just do something. Those Firefly Fans I mentioned that started
this country did so because they took an active role.
-Be respectful. I can talk a big game,
but just be nice to each other. There’s no need to resort to name calling or
hateful speech because someone disagrees. Remember, no one sets out to say, “I’m
going to ban this book today.” They are banning something they are afraid of,
and we have to respect that before we can talk to them, explain that not
everyone will have the same reaction as them. It’s easier to see eye to eye
with someone if you’re not trying to shout over them. Bill and Ted said it best: “Be excellent to
each other.”
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