Click here to view Winona Area Weather
Home > News > Story
 Advertisement 

SECTION SPONSORS


Published - Thursday, October 04, 2007
POST COMMENT | READ COMMENTS (9 comment(s))

Public demand remains for banned books

.
What do Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and Katherine Paterson’s “Bridge to Terabithia” have in common?

All books have either been banned or challenged in schools or public libraries.
Last year, people tried to keep 546 books off the shelves or out of classrooms, according to the American Library Association.

This week is Banned Books Week, a program to raise awareness about censorship of books. It was started in 1982 by the ALA, the American Booksellers Association, the Association of American Publishers and the National Association of College Stores.

Paperbacks and Pieces co-owner Shelley Olsen is handing out lists of banned and challenged books at her bookstore.

“We have customers who come in with the goal of owning every one of them,” Olsen said.

Olsen said she gets almost daily requests for Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which is on the list.

She says she doesn’t expect all people to like the same books. She just thinks they should have the right to read them.

“It’s a threat to our First Amendment,” Olsen said. “It’s our responsibility as a bookstore owner to preserve free speech.”

Winona Public Library director Jim Stetina said that in his four years at the library, no one has requested that a book be banned.

“I think we’re quite fortunate to have an open-minded community,” Stetina said.

Stetina said the library’s selection committee tries to fill the requests of patrons and also to make sure that differing viewpoints are represented on the bookshelves.

“We’re happy that people allow other individuals to read what they feel is important, even if they may not agree with what’s in the book,” Stetina said.

Contact Käri Knutson at kknutson@winonadailynews.com or (507) 453-3523.
.




Advertisement
 Tell us what you think...

 Comments »

Megan wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:41 PM:

" Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a banned books The other Harry Potter books are listed on the Challenged Books list (a step away from from the Banned Book list). There are a total of 120 banned books right now...if you want to see the entire list check out Paperbacks and Pieces. The books are banned because of certain contexts like Social, Religious grounds. Books like Harry Potter are banned because they go against God, well it's one of the reasons anyway. I'm totally against banning books, and the people who fight to ban books are only helping the cause of free speech because when books get so much attention all people want to do is read them and see what the hype is about...People need to realize that people have fought for our freedom to say and do as we please "

J.D. wrote on Oct 4, 2007 3:40 PM:

" Unfortunately, there is some out there that feel free to call each other that. Of course there is a double standard for the word usage. A caucasian is never able to say that word in any context, or he is listed as a racist, and in Mr. Clements case, having his book banned. There will never be a time that all races will accept the other, I am afraid to say, because, the fringe groups on both left and right will not allow it. "

Hitler wrote on Oct 4, 2007 1:32 PM:

" Burn the books!!! "

It shouldn't be about the 'n' word, its about the context wrote on Oct 4, 2007 10:01 AM:

" Mark Twain was an inspirational writer for his time and to this day still holds value. His books weren't about encouraging racism, but a visualization of the attitude and lifestyle of that era of time. Was he supposed to lie about his environment and never use the negative terms used in that day to avoid being offensive? If you don't want to read it, don't read it, but you can't ban it from other people who want to. Its about personal choice and banning Mark Twain is an injustice and proof of how political correctness can send academics backward. "

a few examples... wrote on Oct 4, 2007 10:00 AM:

" Are the Harry Potter books. They currently aren't banned, but there's a lady who's been continually fighting to get them on the banned list because she believes they promote witchcraft. Has she read the books? Nope. Does she intend to? Nope. All she knows is that she is a devout christian and that Harry Potter is bad. I'm a christian too and I love the books. Anyone who has read them knows they do not promote witchcraft. It's people like her that we need to watch out for. "

rolling down the river wrote on Oct 4, 2007 9:25 AM:

" there's nothing wrong with the n word. Living in mpls, i commute on the light rail and that's all i hear morning and night between the n's. "

don't ban books wrote on Oct 4, 2007 8:15 AM:

" ban people who want to ban books. the censorship of a few over the rest of the population because of that which the few deem inappropriate or offensive is totally inappropriate and offensive. whew! "

? wrote on Oct 4, 2007 6:09 AM:

" And why are these books banned ? Examples "

J.D. wrote on Oct 4, 2007 1:08 AM:

" I am not well versed in some of these books listed in the article, however; I have read "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn". I believe the reason for the banning of this book is because the use of a certain word. A word that now you can find in almost any Rap noise,(never will I call that music). So tell me, are we so thin skinned that a part of our history,(even if it is a vile disgusting part), that a book is banned from a library. Education is the only way to solve problems like this. "


The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Winona Daily News.

 Post a comment (150 word limit) »

Click here to report offensive or inappropriate comments. Please identify the comment you're concerned about, the story to which the comment was attached, the date of the comment and the person who made the post. Send comments to jerome.christenson@lee.net

We reserve the right not to post reader comments containing racial, religious or personal attacks, slander, profanity, e-mail addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers or Web site addresses that are for personal or promotional gain.
Log In - If you have already signed up with winonadailynews.com, please sign in now!
*Member ID:
*Password:
  Forgot Your Password?
 
Sign Up - To encourage intelligent and meaningful conversation, winonadailynews.com requires all commenters to register before posting comments. It's quick, it's easy, and it's free! Just fill in the information below to get started!

**Your Member ID and password will be required to log in. Your comments will appear under your user name.

Do not use usernames or passwords from your financial accounts!

Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required!

*Create a Member ID:
*Choose a password:
*Re-enter password:
*E-mail Address:
*Year of Birth:
 

(children under 13 cannot register)

*First Name:
*Last Name:
Company:
Home Phone:
Business Phone:
*Address:
*City:
*State:
*Zip Code:
 

NEWSPAPER ADS

WINONA JOBS

TOP HOMES

HomeSeller
Top Homes



 
 
Dailies
La Crosse Tribune
Winona Daily News

Weeklies
Coulee News
Courier Life News
The Chronicle
Houston County News
Tomah Journal
Vernon Broadcaster
Westby Times

Regional
Inside Preps
My LIVE! Entertainment
Best of River Valley
Business Report
Healthy Living Today
Strictly Golf
River Valley Bike Trails
River Valley Blogs
River Valley Outdoors

Shoppers
Tri-County Foxxy

Marketplace
Newspaper Ads
Local Website Directory
7 Rivers Rentals
HomeSeller
Wheels Website
Outdoor Motors
Work For You

Portals
La Crosse NET
Winona NET

Classifieds
River Valley Classifieds

Links
Lee Enterprises
Minnesota Farm Guide

About Us | Classifieds | Contact Us | Terms of Use | F.A.Q. | Privacy Policy | Requests | Search | RSS | Videos | Advertiser Directory | Add to My Yahoo!
Copyright © 1997 - 2008 The Winona Daily News. All rights reserved.
Material from this site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed. A Lee Enterprises subsidiary.