Comments on: On Reading: Do you Censor Yourself?

By: Carrie, Reading to Know (5M4B)

Carrie, Reading to Know (5M4B) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:32:29 +0000

I’ve enjoyed reading through everyone’s comments. I only ban myself against subject matter I can’t handle – and that can vary.

I DO agree that parents should decide what books their kids should or should not read. Most parents are smart enough to know what their kids can handle and should be reading about. I think we (parents) can cope, thanks!

Of course, knowing what is out there and being educated about it (i.e. reading widely) helps in knowing what is good for your own kids and what isn’t.

Great post (and comments)!

By: Mayke Beckmann Briggs

Mayke Beckmann Briggs — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:34:55 +0000

Maybe rating systems and lists would work so parents can make more informed decisions. Also nowadays it is nice how you can look up any book’s content on line. Even if your child reads books that would harm them, you can figure out which ones you have to read so you can talk with them about it, to put things into perspective and discuss the writers, teachers, friends… motivations.

It certainly is a full time job to turn all the lead that is out there into gold – but that is a loving and wise parent’s power in the face of all the junk out there – even when it reaches our children – which has become pretty unavoidable.

I am not for censorship but not because I believe in unlimited freedom without responsibility, but because I think not censoring will clearly expose what is out there. Open discussions like these will create “good lists” of books, or movies, or foods, etc that will get a lot of power. Then the ACLU will hopefully protect that freedom of speech as well.

You can’t slip a kid a book in school anymore without parents googling it in ten minutes to find out what it is about and writing on line about it. I love freedom! May what’s good for our children win out over the bad by discussing it freely and openly.

By: kelleysfamilyjewels

kelleysfamilyjewels — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:22:27 +0000

Mamacita above summed up what I was thinking as I read through these posts.

” …We really ought to make lists of books we WANT our kids to read and tell them these are banned….. Censorship? Absolutely not. Common sense? Definitely. ”

It is our responsiblity as parents to watch and teach our children good values. Even if they were to choose to read a book that we think questionable- that is our time to step in and teach.

By: Banned books and censorship « Stray Thoughts

Banned books and censorship « Stray Thoughts — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:03:59 +0000

[...] books and censorship I saw at 5 Minutes For Books yesterday that September 27 – October 4 is National Banned Book Awareness week as deemed by the American [...]

By: Mamacita

Mamacita — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:47:26 +0000

A sure-fire way to get a kid to read a book is to tell him/her that it’s forbidden. We really ought to make lists of books we WANT our kids to read and tell them these are banned.

Censorship? Absolutely not. Common sense? Definitely. Unfortunately, people who lack sense often rely on lists made by censors, and too many parents who don’t read, themselves, use such lists instead of picking up the book and checking it out for themselves. Bad, bad parents.

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:55:03 +0000

I am not for banning books. If parents don’t want their kids to read certain books they can see to that. They cannot expect government or other institutions to do their job for them and it takes away CHOICE for other people. If Christians feel it is their “duty” to save people from themselves I think they need to get a life. Books are a matter of opinion and choice and we have no rights IMO to be limiting the choices of others…save our own children, until they are 18.

I do not censor myself either…I cannot think of any genre I wouldn’t at least try to read. If I quit reading I would attribute

By: Tirzah

Tirzah — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:42:08 +0000

One problem with banning books is that generally makes kids (and adults) want to read them more out of rebellion or just out of curiosity. Another problem I see is some people have different standards than I do…some higher and some lower. I would much rather censor the books I read myself than have someone I find fanatical censor the books I can read.

By: Amy N.

Amy N. — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:36:20 +0000

I think that regardless of one’s profession, as someone who is a parent or/and someone working with children, one has the responsibility to protect children. If there is a rating system, people of age can discern whether they take it to heart, or take it lightly, a rating given a book. But for those who do want to look at a book before their child does, it will do the public good, more than harm. We’re not asking to take it out of the library; we’re asking to take the book into a certain part of the library. I think it’s more scary for kids to get ideas they shouldn’t quite be having than it is for a rating system to be ‘inflicted’ on adults who don’t ask for it. IMO, most children don’t asked to be given explicit material they can’t even understand; and even if they do ask for it/want it, it doesn’t mean they should have it.

JMO, of course, and with all do-respect of those who don’t agree.