Why You Shouldn't Ban Books

Imagine being engrossed in your favorite book. You feel like you're a part of the book, and then you go to the library to re-read that series, and it's gone. You ask yourself, why is it gone? You have heard of the answer but have yet to realize its effect on you: censorship. 

According to aclu.org, "censorship is the suppression of words, images, or ideas that are "offensive". In other words, censorship is eliminating content that people consider rude. For example, something that is censored that you see every day is TV shows. Most TV shows are censored due to ratings that censor the movie for kids because of inappropriate content.

Even though protecting people is important, books should not be censored because they offer numerous opportunities to learn and expand knowledge. In addition to this, it violates the 1st Amendment.  

 The 1st Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” In summary, congress will never enforce a rule to stop people from thinking. For example, if I were to believe in something and would love to share it with someone, I would have the privilege to express my train of thought. The 1st amendment protects freedom of speech; however, censorship bars that right. 

You may ask yourself, if freedom of speech is an amendment, how is censorship even allowed? According to ala.org, “The First Amendment only prevents government restrictions on speech.  It does not prevent restrictions on speech imposed by private individuals or businesses.” This means the 1st Amendment only focuses on the government's restrictions on your speech; meanwhile, most people can still oppose what you're saying by banning it. This is unfair because most people say it's wrong, and everyone is restricted. Some people may enjoy its content but will never be allowed to think about it.

By banning books, it affects us by not being aware of the real-life events that those books are connected to. For example, as stated in website procon.com it states, “books are a portal to different  life experiences, and reading encourages empathy and social-emotional development.” This example shows how books are a great way to inform yourself about current or past events. Another example is that many people, especially kids, feel connected to many of these banned books; for example, as stated in the website letgrow.org it states, “The heroes are gay. Or Black. Or Latinx. Or really tough girls. Or poor. Or people with disabilities or mental illness. Or all of those things. Most books about wealthy, white, straight-A students don’t get banned. Nobody’s calling the library to complain about the Hardy Boys. “ this shows how if kids feel connected/comfortable with the banned books, is it really banned for the parent's sake or because the people don’t want other stories besides their own the traditional norm being told. Banning books shouldn't be allowed because if we only read the norm, kids probably wouldn't want to read anymore because they wouldn't feel connected to the books. 

In conclusion, banning books is even more dangerous than reading the ideas inside them. Protection is a concern, but books should not be banned because they offer a better understanding of the world. It also violates the 1st Amendment, a law that gives people freedom of speech.  Furthermore, books are the world's center, so cherish and protect them.