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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009

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the big plan

Beck Will Host Conventions
to Educate America

He's shifting toward political organizer, plans big DC rally

Nov 21, 09 5:06 PM CST
Palin Pulls in Big Bucks
—for Democrats

'Going Rogue' boosts Dem fundraising to new high

Nov 21, 09 6:50 AM CST
demagogue alert

Lawmaker Paints Target on Barack Obama's Back

Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert panders to dangerous paranoids

Nov 21, 09 9:08 AM CST
Senate Democrats Clear
Health Care Hurdle, 60-39

Reid gets 60 votes to open full debate after Thanksgiving recess

Nov 21, 09 7:13 PM CST
Reid Gets 60th Vote:
Holdout Lincoln Agrees

She'll allow health care bill to move forward; vote at 8pm

Nov 21, 09 1:51 PM CST
Billboard Links Obama to Jihad

Colo. car dealership wants this opinion heard

Nov 20, 09 8:42 PM CST
HE'S GOT A BOOK OUT, TOO

Beck to Unveil
'Big Plan' at
Saturday Rally

Righty pundit OK with destroying Dems and GOP

Nov 20, 09 8:07 PM CST
Neglected Ind. Fans Boo Palin

Hecklers accuse her of 'quitting on the job'

Nov 20, 09 3:50 PM CST
Limbaugh's Wrong: Gallup's Obama Approval Below 50%

New survey is latest disappointment for President

Nov 20, 09 2:03 PM CST
Obama's Stimulus Finally
Gets Some Respect

Warring economists agree that it has helped—if not enough

Nov 21, 09 6:21 AM CST
NO COMMUNION FOR YOU, MY SON

RI Bish Disses
Pro-Choice
Rep. Kennedy

Spat over Patrick's abortion stance escalates

2 hours, 43 minutes ago
showtime: 8pm

All Eyes on Blanche Lincoln in Cliffhanger Senate Vote

Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson expected to back health reform in first vote

Nov 21, 09 7:24 AM CST
SURPRISE, SURPRISE

Sullivan Back; Still Hates Palin

Calls her book 'manifesto for the imagined life'

Nov 19, 09 8:49 PM CST

|NEXT STORY »

Most Hypocritical Book Bannings

By Neal Colgrass| Posted Sep 27, 09 11:26 AM CDT|

(Newser) – Banning a book is a move laden with ironies that can make the banner seem dull-witted in the long run. For National Banned Books Week, 11Points.com lists "the most hypocritical, ignorant, and, based on the content of the books, ironic" bans:

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury: The sci-fi classic is about a future government that bans and burns books. 'Nuff said?

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain: The anti-slavery classic is still banned in places for its use of the word "nigger."
The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie: A book satirizing "narrow-minded" aspects of Islam inspired Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini to put out a hit on the author.
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl: Banned in Alabama for being "a real downer."
The Harry Potter series, JK Rowling: Religious watchdog groups outlawed a series that teaches "love, understanding, and tolerance."

For more, click the link below.

Visitors walk past a poster of the latest "Harry Potter" book on the first day of the annual Hong Kong book fair at the Convention Center in Hong Kong, Wednesday, July 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

"The Diary of Anne Frank" was banned in Alabama for being "a real downer." (Flickr)

A pyromaniac-loving ad for "Fahrenheit 451," by Ray Bradbury. (Flickr)

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11.20.09

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11.19.09

Sarah Palin Deserves Some More Attention

46 comments

VIEWING:

polstroad
Sep 27, 09 11:42 AM CDT

why not ban the bible? it offers lots of killings, war, adulterous arrangements within marriage? Reply

+26

IN RESPONSE:

Newuser
Sep 27, 09 11:43 AM CDT

If they do, then they have to ban all religious books, out of fairness.

+13

IN RESPONSE:

paul123
Sep 27, 09 2:09 PM CDT

true enough polstroad, but these events are presented as a matter of reporting on events, yet not condoning them.

IN RESPONSE:

kyleleitch
Sep 27, 09 2:34 PM CDT

@paul123, I don't think Fahrenheit 451 was condoning book burning....

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 27, 09 4:05 PM CDT

BAN THEM ALL!!! Hell if we continue allowing the population to go unchecked and actually educating themselves they may begin to think and Oh My what a disaster that would be. They might even begin to think independently and what ever would the upper class do then when they had to actually do their own labor and other such things, can you imagine?.....Now with that said anyone who condones any book banning is a fool and an idiot. Many of today's young can't even read a book and I find that totally unacceptable. I along with two colleagues volunteered to teach the young poor in our city, the ages were high school level and a few middle school level as well. 4 out of 17 young people lacked a 3rd gradeers reading skills and 2 others could not read at all. One 10 grader had never once failed in school yet you not recognize his own name when written when we began. After bringing them all to an acceptable reading level then we could move forward teaching them skills on computers to help them get off the street and see a huge world where they could move forward and not rot away in the Ghetto as so many do.

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 27, 09 4:33 PM CDT

@ Newuser, they already ban some parts of religious books, The "Bible" can't be seen in it's true form due to parts being left out from the original and until in recent history America banned the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses which are indeed taken from the original text of the true bible as they deal with spells and incantations, the "Church" would not stand for them being included and excluded them entirely. You can read as well as download them online or special order them as well. The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses

IN RESPONSE:

paul123
Sep 27, 09 10:31 PM CDT

@kyleleitch: You are missing the point. Polstroad said we should ban the bible because you can read about war, adultery, etc. My point simply was that although this is true, it is merely a report of events in which to which he refers, not an endorsement.

IN RESPONSE:

Snarfeh
Sep 27, 09 11:55 PM CDT

@reader89 - Thank you for that post. A lot of people don't even know the bible was created at the Council of Nicea by a bunch of old men who sat down and mapped out what would be the official dogma of christianity.

IN RESPONSE:

opheliaglass
Sep 28, 09 11:13 AM CDT

The bible will never be banned because God will never be held accountable for his actions. The bible is the most hypocritically encouraged book.

IN RESPONSE:

kyleleitch
Sep 28, 09 9:14 PM CDT

@paul, my appologies; I came back and re-read this one and realized I missed the point :P and I totally agree with you and polstroad.

| 0 minutes ago

Newuser
Sep 27, 09 11:43 AM CDT

Hairy Pot Smoker should not be banned! Reply

-5

| 0 minutes ago

Derni
Sep 27, 09 11:57 AM CDT

American sneed to get over talking out of two sides of their mouth-The conservative right and some people invilved with relgion feel they have to protect all of us from our evil ways-do me a favor-don't tell me what to read-don't tell me what I should be doing sexually-and leave me alone unless what I actually do physically hurts me or someone else-I've lived 60 years and I'm tired of Gov't and people thinkingthey know what's good for me-let me OWN what I do and how it affects my life Reply

IN RESPONSE:

radnip
Sep 28, 09 4:12 AM CDT

When you moving to your rocky private island?

-1

| 0 minutes ago

DETERMINED6
Sep 27, 09 12:11 PM CDT

This is what HITLER did.It will be a cold day in hell they will take my Bible from me or try to stop me from practicing my religiouse beliefs.But if people don't get together it will continue down this path.Reminds me of SODOM AND GAMMORAH just looking at this culture we have in this country it is disgusting.GOD is in control and when it is his time he will take care of business his way be patient. Reply

-20

IN RESPONSE:

Forderon
Sep 27, 09 12:21 PM CDT

And yet you think it's your business whether someone is allowed to read fictional books? Congratulations on confirming the point of the article.

+11

IN RESPONSE:

Thinker
Sep 27, 09 12:21 PM CDT

Oh goodie. We get to hear from another ignorant, ranting religious zealot.

+10

IN RESPONSE:

schmidtkoff
Sep 27, 09 12:21 PM CDT

no books should be banned.

+14

IN RESPONSE:

2-bits
Sep 27, 09 12:27 PM CDT

This comment has been removed by Newser’s community. You must be logged in to view this comment.

-11

IN RESPONSE:

Robert_Dada
Sep 27, 09 2:05 PM CDT

Determined6: You are in for a very big disappointment if you really believe anything you said.

IN RESPONSE:

DarkFrancis
Sep 27, 09 3:42 PM CDT

Your rant speaks for itself. I'm curious, though: did they not teach punctuation at your school?

IN RESPONSE:

Reader60610265
Sep 27, 09 4:39 PM CDT

2-Bits, sometimes you actually make sense, but the last few days you've either stopped taking your meds or they've stopped working.

IN RESPONSE:

LiberalJesus
Sep 28, 09 8:09 AM CDT

you're a joke right?

IN RESPONSE:

BleeBloo
Sep 28, 09 11:47 AM CDT

Ahahahahahahahahahah oh man I love you crazies so much. NO ONE CARES WHAT RELIGION YOU ARE EXCEPT OTHER CRAZY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PUSH THEIR RELIGION ON YOU! YOU ARE PART THE PROBLEM! Also, God is a lie and you are a sad sack of flesh if you really think you need an invisible man to pat you on the head and justify every stupid, shortsighted, narrowminded action you take.

| 0 minutes ago

npkimmey
Sep 27, 09 1:08 PM CDT

I can't believe they banned Fahrenheit 451. Do you think they read it before they banned it? Reply

IN RESPONSE:

kyleleitch
Sep 27, 09 2:35 PM CDT

Not likely.

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 27, 09 6:42 PM CDT

Banning Fahrenheit 451 .Did they burn them? .Irony..

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 28, 09 12:34 AM CDT

I have read all those mentioned except for "The satanic" one (never heard of till now)...and they were great. Just because they deal with something unpleasant is no reason to ban them...but then again I read a lot and would never think of banning a book, unless it was innapropriate for the age group...example..you don't want adult nature books in the school library..now thwere are millions of kids with playboy or playgirl ect..hidden in their homes but certain things just do not belong in certain areas.

IN RESPONSE:

hypatiab7
Sep 28, 09 3:12 PM CDT

Probably not. Most people who want to ban books or movies haven't read or seen them. They just go by what others told them and are too lazy to check things out on their own. In my experience the banners are generally Fundamentalist Christians, though occasionally fundamentalists from other religions may get involved. Unfortunately, when a person becomes a fundamentalist anything, they pretty much close their minds to any other possibilities. hypatiab7

| 0 minutes ago

jagerhans
Sep 27, 09 1:10 PM CDT

come on, every decent person knows that banning and burning books, every book, is always wrong. only the worst dictators like hitler, stalin and the roman church practice censorship and burn books in the vain attempt to assassinate ideas, sometimes together with the author. the debate on this topic was closed long ago and not by me. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Rocket448
Sep 27, 09 3:19 PM CDT

Correct, Jagerhans. Banning or burning books has long been understood to be the tool of the despot. However, schools are often challenged to ban or remove books in the school library which are said to harm or influence children to do wrong. I think everyone could agree that schools should necessarily be places free of hurtful influences or actual threat, so parents sometimes argue that a few books may present such a threat. School librarians who are prepared to meet these challenges most often win through, since the standard for selecting books for library collections is a community standard and not an individual's preference. If librarians follow professional guidelines and select books based on well-known standards of readability and suitability, often a challenge just evaporates before it becomes an issue before the board of education. At that point we often see the challenge become controversial, drawing attention to the person or group making the challenge and often revealing them to have fringe ideas or beliefs. Keep in mind, though, that standards are community-based, and often a book is simply not acceptable to a particular community. That does not mean it shouldn't be read elsewhere.

IN RESPONSE:

lindamae
Sep 28, 09 3:08 AM CDT

Perhaps you are too young to remember the Roman Catholic's decency list of movies to avoid. They would bring you directly to hell. Our main stream media bans any issue which criticizes Obama. And no one complains about that.

IN RESPONSE:

BleeBloo
Sep 28, 09 11:49 AM CDT

@lindamae Oh goodie, I sure am glad there's an Obama basher on a story that has nothing to do with him.

| 0 minutes ago

divetrader
Sep 27, 09 1:44 PM CDT

Is it wrong for me to think the Kirk Cameron's version of Darwin and God should be burned??? Reply

IN RESPONSE:

kyleleitch
Sep 27, 09 2:37 PM CDT

The entire episode of Family Guy where Meg becomes a born-again Christian just popped into my mind.

IN RESPONSE:

Rocket448
Sep 27, 09 3:23 PM CDT

Divetrader, go ahead and think what you please, but universally banning a book is indeed wrong. Books are of fundamental importance to the marketplace of ideas.

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 28, 09 12:35 AM CDT

he wrote a book?

IN RESPONSE:

LiberalJesus
Sep 28, 09 8:14 AM CDT

It should not be banned even though his tripe is not fit to wipe the asses of his narrow minded believers....in fact I'm sure that is where it will end up, in the finer outhouses across the south.

| 0 minutes ago

kc4151
Sep 27, 09 3:37 PM CDT

Banned where? By whom? This book banning thing is a liberal straw man. How is book banning materially different from NEA propaganda grants to artists for parroting the Obama party line? Answer: It isn't. Worry about something that's a real issue. Reply

-8

IN RESPONSE:

Toon
Sep 27, 09 6:18 PM CDT

Recheck your answer. You got it wrong. Real school boards all over the country have banned books. That is what is called a fact. 'NEA propaganda grants' are some made up phrase that only makes sense to the deluded paranoids who keep track of every conservative dog whistle. You may be refering to something that is real but is not called that nor does it do what you say it does.

IN RESPONSE:

kc4151
Sep 27, 09 6:34 PM CDT

Nonsense. Library boards make editorial judgments. A book is "banned" when access to it is denied, or penalties are imposed for owning it. That doesn't fit any of these silly paranoid lists. Your library doesn't have your book? Try another. Or try Amazon. Now, go finish your kool-aid.

IN RESPONSE:

kc4151
Sep 27, 09 6:43 PM CDT

Follow this link to a sensible response to the fiction of banned books. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204518504574420882837440304.html

-3

| 0 minutes ago

George_Taylor
Sep 27, 09 4:32 PM CDT

I wonder, is there an author who writes to do wrong? wrong as in encouraging to harm others. I thought authors love life so much they want to satire it. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

donnz
Sep 27, 09 6:30 PM CDT

I read a book years ago tha listed 100 banned books, including the Christian Bible. I made it a point to read every banned book that I could acquire. Unfortunately I can't remeber any of them. That may be their point. lol Reply

| 0 minutes ago

yoeydude
Sep 27, 09 6:46 PM CDT

to most of you , a book is just potential toilet paper Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 28, 09 12:37 AM CDT

just Nancy Peeeloopsi's rofl

-2

| 0 minutes ago

yoeydude
Oct 1, 09 1:56 AM CDT

ahhhh , what ? riff yo , man you ok ? thats like a sentence typed by a dying man ,.... like you died typing the last two words , and just kinda fell off the chair ,...... ahhhhhh ,.... could be a little too much shine ? , oh yea, I git it ,.... hes ok Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 46 comments »

Harry Potter • JK Rowling • literature • Salman Rushdie • publishing • Anne Frank • Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl • Mark Twain • banned • books • Fahrenheit 451 • Ray Bradbury • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn • The Satanic Verses • banned books • National Banned Books Week

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Most Hypocritical Book Bannings

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Most Hypocritical Book Bannings

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Broke Aussie Author Inspires Bidding Frenzy

Rebecca James' debut has publishers seeing next JK Rowling

MORE ABOUT: Harry Potter • JK Rowling • literature • publishing • bidding war • women's issues • Rebecca James • Beautiful Malice • teen literature

Dumbledore Sparks Fight for Real-World Justice

Nonprofit Harry Potter Alliance uses books as inspiration

MORE ABOUT: Harry Potter • Darfur • Sudan • JK Rowling • literature • political activism • Myanmar • Burma • book • Albus Dumbledore • Andrew Slack • Harry Potter Alliance

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Spoiled Harry a Hero for 'Entitled Generation'

Books lack moral weight as Potter gets off easy

MORE ABOUT: Harry Potter • film • JK Rowling • literature • book • Luke Skywalker • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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MORE ABOUT:
Harry Potter • JK Rowling • literature • publishing • bidding war • women's issues • Rebecca James • Beautiful Malice • teen literature

Dumbledore
Sparks Fight for
Real-World Justice

MORE ABOUT:
Harry Potter • Darfur • Sudan • JK Rowling • literature • political activism • Myanmar • Burma • book • Albus Dumbledore • Andrew Slack • Harry Potter Alliance

Spoiled Harry a Hero
for 'Entitled Generation'

MORE ABOUT:
Harry Potter • film • JK Rowling • literature • book • Luke Skywalker • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince