This year Banned Books Week is October 1 - 7, 2023. 

It's sad that we have to have a whole week to highlight this. 

Book banning is as old as writing itself. There is something powerful about the written word. Words contain our hopes, our dreams and our ideas. Words contained in books, written on posters and pamphlets are how those hopes and dreams and ideas can live forever. 

Powerful stuff. 

The history of book banning reaches far into history.  Books have been banned because they are "obscene" or because they are "hate literature", banned for political reasons, or for religious ones, for blasphemy and for giving offense, for being "socially corrupting" and for being too critical of those in power. Books have been banned for being "immoral" and for heresy, for featuring Jewish characters, and being critical of white supremacy. For being subversive, and anti-government. For depicting sexuality and for promoting homosexuality.  For celebrating black culture and for anti-slavery content. 

The list of reasons why a book or piece of writing is "unacceptable" is a long one.  Sometimes the supposed reasons are well meaning- "Let's protect the children," and sometimes they are not. 

In the USA the American Libraries Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom monitors attempts to censor books, materials and services across public, school and academic libraries. The ALA reports that in 2023 from January 1 to August 31 preliminary data shows a record surge of challenges in Public Libraries. The OIF reported 695 attempts to censor library materials, and 3,923 total titles were targeted for censorship. 

The suppression of ideas, and speech has no place in an open and democratic society. 

In case we have forgotten, the First Amendment states that

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.