Banned Books

Charlie Postman 802

Dear Ms. Berner,

As Laurie Halse Anderson, the author of Speak stated, “Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.” I think that the argument against the banning of books can be perfectly summarized through this statement.  Numerous books, including some of the most well-known and classic, have been challenged for their inappropriate content for kids, hence the name Banned Books. States like Texas, Oregon and North Carolina have challenged books more than ten times each in order to steer children away from so called “dark”, “sexual” or “inappropriate” literature.  Recently, there has been a large deal of controversy from parents of some of the kids at Middle School 51 who want to ban certain books, because they don’t want certain exposure for their children at their age or maturity level. I believe that you shouldn’t ban these books because not only do kids deserve a freedom to read the material they want, but some of the lessons taught from these books are more valuable than a large amount of other material ingested by an average child.

There are many reasons why you shouldn’t restrict kids from reading these books. One is that some books are being banned for concerns that are blown out of proportion. The article “11 Books That Were Banned For Completely Ridiculous Reasons” by Chrissie Gruebel states, “Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein, Why: The only reason there could possibly be: promoting cannibalism, which is something we all remember from our childhoods, right? Shel Silverstein wanted us to eat other humans. Oh, and some people who really care about their plates also got mad because Shel told kids to break dishes instead of washing them, and we have to keep our little indentured servants in line, right? We can’t have a bunch of whimsical poetry giving them any ideas.” This analysis is mocking the fact that this popular and loved book, along with many other books just like it, had been previously banned for outrageous reasons to the extent where you would think it is a joke.

Another is that small groups of people are making this decision for large populations. The article “Censorship and Book Banning in America” by Melissa Kelly states, “Our county has a group which reads the questionable book and determines whether its educational value exceeds the weight of the objections against it.” I think the fact that specific people decide if certain books will be able to be read by thousands of kids across the nation is unfair, because they are not the ones who would be affected by a ban. The article “Banning Books is Bad. And Let Me Tell You My Top 5 Reasons Why…” by Kelly Konrad states, “ Kids should already have a censor in place—it's called a parent. While I do feel bad for the kid who is told he or she can't read Harry Potter books and like to envision him or her tucked away in the corner of the library going all deviant on their parents' asses, I respect the role of a parent to know when their child is ready, or not, for certain forms of literature. But just theirs. No one tells my kids what they can't read except for me.” This shows the point that there should not be one group of people that will ultimately decide if someone else can read a book. It is difficult to know where to draw a line with censorship. The same article by Melissa Kelly also states, “The question that faces us in the future is 'when do we stop?' Do we remove mythology and Arthurian legends because of its references to magic? Do we strip the shelves of medieval literature because it presupposes the existence of saints? Do we remove Macbeth because of the murders and witches? I think that most would say there is a point where we must stop.” I think this quote is highlighting the point that at a certain point of banning books, the people restricting the material has to know when to differ a reason that they may consider just for banning a book, and also exaggerated reasoning that isn’t heavily shown throughout the book.

People for banning books have various arguments to back up their beliefs. The article “About Banned and Challenged Books” on ALA.org states, “Censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt, but, nonetheless, harmful...Often challenges are motivated by a desire to protect children from ‘inappropriate’ sexual content or ‘offensive’ language. The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom; the material was considered to be ‘sexually explicit’, the material contained ‘offensive language’, the materials was ‘unsuited to any age group’.” Like the article states, some explicit books may be harmful because if, hypothetically, a rape victim was reading about a similar situation that they went through, it could trigger something and harm them emotionally. Even though that is a possibility, it is the readers responsibility to know if the books would be suitable for their circumstances.

Overall, I believe there are many reasons that support why banning books is not a good option. It is a controversial issue, and rightfully so. Though there may be arguments on why books should be banned, I think that the overall evidence behind not banning books outweighs the evidence for it.

Social Injustice responses

What do you think is good about the world?

My Dad: Most people -- because I believe that, generally, people are good, and want the same things-- love, community, acceptance, worthwhile accomplishment

What do you think is bad about the world?

My Dad: A small, vocal (or sometimes quiet) group of people-- they are committed to things that help no one + almost everyone--their values are extremism, greed, unchecked power, hypocrisy

I thought that it was interesting to get my dad’s full viewpoints and answers to two very challenging and unspecific questions. I think that my dad more focused the people creating the injustice, oppose to the actual injustice being done. I think obviously if you break down every unjust situation, it comes down to the person’s mindset and their set of morals so that is why I agree with what my dad is saying. It’s hard to pinpoint an action when there is a legitimate person who caused it. I think also, as my dad states, that more often than not, the “bad” people are the ones who speak out the most about it. Since it is a smaller group of people, they have to be vocal but them saying certain things may spark conflict among other people. I think overall, my dad essentially pointed out that the bad and the good in our world comes from people, and who you are will choose how you affect our world.

Citation: Wilner, Barry. "Ray Rice Wins Appeal vs. NFL, Is Reinstated." - The Denver Post. The Associated Press, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

The article that I chose was about how Ray Rice overturned the NFL’s ruling that he should be indefinitely suspended, because there was leaked footage of the previous Baltimore Ravens running back punching his then fiancee, but they are currently married. There has been many incidents similar to this in the past of the NFL. I think that Ray Rice should not have been given a second chance in the NFL, because it wasn’t that his fiancee made accusations against him, but there was literal video footage from an elevator of him beating her. I think that the NFL had too many conflicting opinions in this case, like they might have said they wanted to keep Ray Rice because he was a superstar, but that would give the NFL a bad image in the situation. I think in a situation like this, the decision is largely influenced by people and the most popular opinion.

In my life, I have thankfully never experienced abuse, but a couple of times I have witnessed harsh, even slightly abusive parenting on the street. For example, I was on the Upper West Side in Manhattan with my brother once, on a nearly empty street, but my brother and I witnessed a father freak out, grab and violently shake his 3 year old son, who was helpless at the situation (very similar to the fact that a small woman was being beat by a professional football player-- helpless). I think that what Ray Rice did was an injustice but was not treated like one. He wouldn’t ideally have to be indefinitely suspended, but at least a longer suspension for Ray Rice.

If you turned on the TV and went to a sitcom, you would likely see a white, well-off family who lives in the suburbs. Most likely it would be two straight parents, the housewife and the working dad, and probably two children. If there are teenagers, they usually go by the classic American teenager stereotypes: rebellious, loud, obnoxious, and occasionally awkward. Even though there are cases of teenagers acting like this, there is a spectrum of possibilities among teenagers. And of course, everyone in the family must be attractive to fit the whole scenario. This lifestyle was once the American ideal for a family. Essentially, this familiar family setup was and still is in some cases the “American Dream.” In a typical episode, characters face a certain problem but overcome it in a small period of time and bond over it. Even though it hasn’t fully changed, you might see a gay couple or an adopted child or a working mother in television nowadays. But regardless, there are endless shows that revolve around the kind of family just described.

One show in particular, The Donna Reed Show, really shows this “ideal” family. The show, which ran from 1958-1966, has a pretty, middle-class white housewife, a husband doctor, and two teenagers- Mary and Jeff. A majority of these stereotypes are being perpetuated by these television shows because even though it may be changing in the near future and now, there is a certain standard of the basis of a sitcom.

How do you change the world everyday -- even if it may be in a small way?

Alyssa (My cousin): I change the world everyday by teaching elementary students with special needs. I work at a school in Bed-Stuy that serves students from low-income homes, predominantly African American, and all boys. Our public schools are currently failing students who look just like my boys spectacularly: African American males in New York are just as likely to be incarcerated as they are to graduate from a four-year college. In light of the recent events in Ferguson, MO, it seems even more important to me that I prepare my boys for what they will face as they enter a world that is already stacked against them. I consider my work with boys who have autism and learning disabilities to be targeting the “gap within the gap.” The typical “achievement gap” refers to the discrepancy between high school and college graduation rates, test scores, and other educational outcomes between students from low- and high- income families (and, often, between students of color and White students). This gap is compounded for students who have additional disabilities that make it hard for them to learn in a typical classroom. I change the world by equipping these boys with both the academic and character skills they will need to succeed in and change the world one day themselves.

I think that what my cousin was saying is really strong because when you think of people who are changing the world, a teacher probably wouldn't come to your mind first. I think that adding on to that, she is also dealing with boys with learning disabilities, so the impact she makes on them will make an indefinite change in these boys lives. I think that there are so many people change the world, but we don't acknowledge all of them.

There are numerous situations that people come across everyday, that I would classify as social injustice. Some of them are:

♦ Catcalling

♦ People avoiding homeless

♦ People smoking exposing it to young children

♦ People randomly getting called out on the street for something they are wearing/doing

The one problem that I am going to focus on is the fact that a  lot of people avoid homeless people. I have also felt uncomfortable before when I’m on the train, and a homeless person approaches me and gets all in my face asking for money. Obviously, that puts me a little off guard or uncomfortable, but i don't walk away. I have sympathy for them because I can’t imagine what it is like to have spend all day asking for money, especially considering everyone that turns you down is human. If you were in the position of being homeless, I think that you would perceive humans in a much different way that the rest of us. I think you would generally dislike these people because they have so much to give, yet they can’t even spare $1 to you. This isn’t me trying to say that I always give to homeless people and have friendly embraces with them, but you should acknowledge their presence because you have to imagine yourself in that position. And if you dont have money, inform them- but don't just walk away and ignore. Homeless people are people, but most people forget that.

      "Be Free" by J. Cole

And I'm in denial

And it don't take no x-ray to see right through my smile

I know, I'd be on the go

And it ain't no drink out there that can numb my soul

No, no

     All we want to do is take the chains off

All we want to do is break the chains off

All we want to do is be free

All we want to do is be free

All we want to do is take the chains off

All we want to do is break the chains off

All we want to do is be free

All we want to do is be free

Can you tell me why everytime I step outside

I see my n***** die,

Ooh, I'm letting you know

That it ain't no gun they make that can kill my soul

Oh, no

This song by J. Cole is very appropriate to the project because he is addressing Michael Brown’s death, which is him as an artist informing and spreading his opinion about the injustice. He is one of few artists (all kinds of artists) who still inform their listeners on social injustices in our modern day society. I think that more artists should speak their opinions on injustices through their art because that is where their voice is most powerful and can make an impact on what people think about the injustice. Overall, I think that this song is one example of how artists can speak up on a social matter within their art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrcEI3TKd_0

I saw a video on Youtube titled “Ferguson Protest Riots - Looters Knockout Fox News reporter & Cameraman on LIVE TV 11/24/2014” which was a reporter in Ferguson reporting on some alcohol on the floor, when a couple of looters in masks approach them and knock them out. If I was that reporter, I would be very scared to go into Ferguson because it is essentially a war zone, but i’m sure that the reporter knew the risks of being a journalist and being in Ferguson. I think that when I was awoken from being knocked out if I was the reporter, I would have been grateful because considering the circumstances, much worse things could have happened. Even though basically everyone is completely aware of what is going on in Ferguson, I don’t think that people realize that it is a warzone. Everyone is fighting, looting, burning and more. The reason why this is so terrible is because we have so many conflicts to the point where we have huge conflict in our own country. I’m not sure how long this will take in Ferguson to end but until African-Americans feel as if they have the exact same rights and treatments as white people, these kind of conflicts will keep sparking up all over the country. I think being a journalist is one of the hardest professions in the world because it is one thing to read about riots in Ferguson, but it is a completely different experience if you are reporting while one is taking place.

Independent Book response

Charlie Postman 802

ELA

Stitches Response

The memoir-graphic novel Stitches, by David Small, mainly centers around David Small’s childhood and teen years in the 1960’s and 70’s and shows the many challenges he was forced to face and overcome. One of the largest challenges he had to overcome as a child was cancer. He also had to face problems such as his parents and that they don’t really care about him and treat him with utter disrespect. Throughout the book, the author promotes and expands on the idea of independence because, as a kid, he didn’t have many friends and didn’t socialize, but made many independent, mature decisions for himself that occasionally benefited him and occasionally did not. I think what the author is trying to claim in this graphic novel is that, even if there are harsh conditions or circumstances, if you try hard, you can prevail. I believe that in David’s case, it was more exceptional because he prevailed through his independence.

David’s medical conditions strongly affect his independence. The first detail to show this is, “In those days we gave any kid born with breathing difficulty X-rays, two to four hundred rads… I gave you cancer.” This is especially powerful because David’s dad says this to him and David and his dad don’t have the most stable relationship. David’s independence is strongly influenced by the fact that he has medical conditions and isolates himself from everyone, his family included. In the end, though, by separating himself, he strengthened his virtues that enabled him to live on his own and survive for himself, allowing him to take his sketchy and sad past and use it to forge happinesses through experience in the future.

My second detail is when David is in the hospital and his mother decides to do something for him because she believes he is going to die. It states, “Well then, there is something you can get. I forgot to bring along the book I was reading. But oh, wait. I forgot. You stole that from my room and burned it up.” This signifies that he has become more independent because he is finally standing up for himself after having to follow all the nonsensical tasks she has given him during his childhood. He is beginning to realize that his mother really doesn’t care and once he realizes she was only going to get something for him because she thought he was going to die, that is the breaking point in David and his mother’s relationship.

Another example of David being independent is at the end of the book. David has a dream. In the dream, his mother is sweeping the path to what he realizes is his crazy Grandma’s insane asylum. His mom sweeping the path is symbolic because she is giving him the option of following in his grandma’s footsteps but he doesn’t want to. It states, “Suddenly, I realized the building was the one where grandma had been locked away. The old central state asylum. The figure was my mother, sweeping the way, clearing the path for me to follow. I didn’t.” This is David being independent and following his own path. I think David deciding not to follow that path shows who he is, and how he separated himself from his family as a person throughout the book. I think his independence matured him, which allows him to make better decisions, just like this one.

Overall, the claim in the book Stitches by David Small that occurs throughout the story is that just because you may have a difficult life situation, even if you have nobody to rely or lean on, does not mean you can not prevail through the hardships.

Ashes Response

Charlie Postman 802

The short story “Ashes” by Susan Beth Pfeffer is about a girl nicknamed Ashes, a child of divorce, who is trying to figure out how she feels about her father. He is a dreamer which Ashes admires, but an unreliable parent. In the story, you see Ashes wrestle with what she wants as a child versus what she needs. I believe the story’s claim is that having your needs met is more important than having your wants satisfied, but it’s a painful truth for a child to learn.

Ashes’ feeling towards her father can often sound like worship. “That winter, it felt like every time I saw my father, the sun cast off just a little more warmth than it had the day before,” says Ashes. ”When I was little, Dad used to promise me the stars for a necklace...” These quotes strongly show how Ashes views her dad as bigger than life, the person who can make her dreams come true. This is in contrast to how Ashes sees her mother, who she describes as “the most practical person I know.” Ashes can’t even figure out how her parents were ever married or in love.

However, Ashes is grown up enough to see her father more clearly than she did when she was younger. Yes, her father would promise her the stars for a necklace, “but like most of his promises, that one never quite happened,” she observes sadly. She also has heard what her mother thinks of her father: “an irresponsible bum” is how the mother refers to Ashes’ dad. He doesn’t always send his child support checks on time, he sometimes forgets to pick Ashes up on time at school, and can generally be pretty selfish. For example, he sometimes “got all his favorite kinds of chinese and none of Mom’s and mine.” Over the course of the story, Ashes becomes a more matured person through truly discovering her fathers flaws, especially when he tests her loyalty by asking Ashes to steal her mother’s money for his own use.

Maybe the best example of how torn Ashes feels about how her father makes her feel special, on one hand, and acts completely selfishly, on the other, is her nickname: Ashes. Her given name is Ashleigh, which her mother calls her, and doesn’t even like, but her dad calls her Ashes, which makes her feel special, but as her mother points out, “ashes are cold, gray, dead things…You’re calling your daughter something dead!” And one night, when Ashes makes a list of all the words that rhyme with her nickname - “smashes and crashes, trashes and bashes, clashes and mashes” - Ashes is less happy with having a special nickname.

I believe that the short story “Ashes” is trying to highlight the concept that children have a hard time distinguishing what they want against what they need. Like everyone they want both, but with growing older, comes the tough epiphany that you can’t have it all.

Bystander Reading Response

     The book Bystander by James Preller is mainly about the story of the friendship and ultimately hatred between a bully named Griffin and the main character, Eric. In the story, Eric is a boy with his mom and little brother who move back to Long Island after a long dark period of time relating to Eric's father and how he slowly became crazy.  Once Eric arrives, he befriends Griffin, a kid his age with a true charm. Slowly, Eric realizes what Griffin does to other kids. This makes Eric slowly become enemies with Griffin and his crew. The overall character change in this book is that even though Eric believes he is a better person than Griffin, by the end of the book he is comparatively a more cruel person than he was in the beginning of the book.

     The first example that Eric changed for the worse in the book, it states, " ' I have to do this. He stole something from my brother, and something from me. I want it back.'... He scribbled a few words on a piece of paper-- 'NOW WE'RE EVEN'-- and tucked it into the wooden box on the shelf." (Pg. 204+208+209)If Eric hadn't been changed person, he would not have put the note because that is him doing to show Griffin what he is capable of, but it is becoming him. What Eric did is an action that Griffin would do to retaliate. Another example to support that Eric changed to Griffin is, as the book states, " 'What is...wrong...with you?' Eric asked, his voice rising in frustration. ' Why can't you just leave people alone? Is your life so miserable that this is how you have to spend your time? You're a waste, you know that a total waste.'" (Pg. 186) Even though it may have been for the means of standing up for his self, Eric has changed enough to say these insults as vigorously as he did. Even if Eric doesn't like the mean things that Griffin does, Griffin still trained Eric in a way.

Overall, even though Eric overcomes such things as bullying, he himself changed through being friends with Griffin and enemies with Griffin. He has become more like Griffin, more cold and less shy. Eric definitely changes over the course of the book.