This week's question is:
I strongly believe that the regulation of reading material among kids is the duty of parents. If parents have objections to material available to kids, it is their job to communicate that to their kids and teachers. Parents have the right to remove their kids from educational programming that they don't agree with, but just because some parents may find material objectionable doesn't mean that nobody gets to read it.
The right to free speech is one of our greatest liberties and is not something to be taken lightly. Self-expression is so important to public discourse on societal wrongs and to the further development of society in general. Ideas, in any form, can and should be expressed, and not one person should ever feel afraid to speak their mind. People take offense to a wide variety of materials, words, and concepts, and it is because of that subjectivity that limits on expression are so dangerous. The moment we start to homogenize our thinking is the moment our society starts to crumble. Progress is born on a foundation of daring, bold thoughts. We have to take risks and listen to the very things that frighten or abhor us in order to better understand the world around us.
Help me celebrate novel and bold ideas as part of Banned Books Week, and support authors who dare to be different. The Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop ends tomorrow, so click the link at the top of the page to enter!
If you're a first time visitor, or just didn't get the chance to stop by this week, here's what you missed:
GLOW by Amy Kathleen Ryan
2/5 stars
WISDOM'S KISS by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
3/5 stars
Features
Let's Talk About...Virginity in YA Fiction
Events
Waterfall Wednesday
Enjoy your weekend everybody!
1 comment:
As much as I agree with your statement progress, I think there is a push toward homogeneous thinking precisely because people are afraid of the "other" or of being different. And I think that's what frustrates me the most - living in a country that is supposed to be about individuality and being able to have your own opinion, yet is not.
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