Banned Books 2007-2008
These titles have been banned or challenged in 2007-2008. How many have you read?
Erin
888 books
121 friends
121 friends
Alexis
1245 books
32 friends
32 friends
R. Garfinkel
370 books
12 friends
12 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads
3317 books
860 friends
860 friends
Greyweather
2660 books
66 friends
66 friends
Seth
335 books
385 friends
385 friends
Nikki
3460 books
92 friends
92 friends
Lanica
1864 books
115 friends
115 friends
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message 1:
by
jacky
(new)
Oct 03, 2008 06:34AM

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the Pope?
Muslims?
Mormons?
Hassidic Jews?
church of Scientology?
Chinese communists?
David Copperfield's fifth column?
What savage third world country would do that in XXI century?
please be more specific

St. Mary's Island Church of England School in Chatham, Kent (banned)
Gwinnet County School System, Georgia (challenged)
Maranatha Christian College, Australia (banned)
Fair Haven, Connecticut schools (challenged)
New Haven, Connecticut schools (challenged)
Cedarville, Arkansas schools (banned)
United Arab Emirates schools (banned)
Texas school systems (multiple challenges) (also challenged: To Kill a Mockingbird, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Huck Finn)
Nambour Christian Outreach College, Australia (banned)
a school in Zeeland, Michigan (banned or restricted, depending on age group)
York, Pennsylvania schools (challenged)
Cromwell, Connecticut schools (challenged)
Birkenhead Primary School, Aukland, New Zealand (banned)
Durham District School, Ontario, Canada (restricted)
St. Joseph's School, Wakefield, Massachusetts (banned)
a number of Muslim schools in the UK (banned)
Columbia, South Carolina schools (challenged)
"The ALA reports there were more than 3,000 attempts to remove books from schools and public libraries between 2000 and 2005. Challenges are defined as formal, written complaints filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness." The Harry Potter books topped the list for 2000-2005. http://www.infoplease.com/spot/banned... HP topped the list in 2002: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Secti... . And in 1999: http://www.freedomforum.org/templates... .
Harry's been criticized in the Iranian state press (also denouncing "zionist collaborators" Warner Brothers). One article in Christianity Today described HP as "rat poison mixed with orange soda." Papacy-watchers think John Paul II liked the books, and the current Pope doesn't. (The Roman Catholic church is officially neutral on the subject.) The Orthodox churches of Greece and Bulgaria aren't fond of Harry Potter, either, having denounced the books and movies as Satanic.

I have experienced censorship in Eastern Europe during 70's and early 80's but I thought the time of repression of intellectual property and free speech has gone with the wind long time ago, especially in modern western culture. I am really shocked by the information you have presented.I have lived in US for 20 years now and I have witnessed political power of Christian fanatics(presidential elections of 2000,2004,movie: Jesus Camp is a great illustration of the minds of many religious groups in US,etc.)and I am also aware of the Islamic intolerance... I am not naive when it comes to a "serious" and "adult" social and political literature being still under pressure from powerful organizations,fanatic pastors and imams and lobbyists.
I am still outraged by the fact that children's books are being politicized and banned, especially in the culture where separation of church and state is a foundation for tolerant governing and education, and that this ignorant and repressive practice still takes place.
Please, let me apologize for the previous sarcasm, and thanks again for opening my eyes.

