Censorship greases slippery slope of fascism
America: The supposed land of the free. American patriots take pride in being the so-called “freest” country in the world, but is it actually? Trans rights are being revoked, women are losing control over their bodies, and now books are being banned in schools, libraries, and other institutions. Though the pieces of literature are only being banned, not made illegal, the underlying issue is clear. It makes getting hold of books significantly more difficult. By extension, books are knowledge, and knowledge is being stripped away from the hands of those that need it to put the complacently ignorant at ease. This is yet another way personal beliefs are being unjustly brought into politics which affect everyone. It’s all for the sake of our youth though, right?
These bans against books across the United States seem to be most prevalent in Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Utah-- all of which are historically known to be more conservative states. Conservatives, as the name implies, tend to lean towards tradition, which is perfectly fine in some aspects, but this need to preserve tradition is starting to negatively impact our “free country.” Censorship itself is a controlled form of suppression, which goes against many of the strict values this nation claims to have. Why should the government be able to dictate what people can and cannot access? Also, when has it ever historically proven to be a good idea to only have one acceptable point of view? The further federal and state governments continue to push boundaries when it comes to rights, the more the question is raised of how far is too far?
The shallow reason as to why books are continuously being banned left and right is because they are quickly being deemed “inappropriate” for children. The majority of these books include LGBTQ+ themes and people of color, which many would argue are not inappropriate by any means. Preventing children from accessing LGBTQ+ books isn’t going to change their sexuality or gender identity—it’s only going to make them feel alone as media representation is waning more and more with the rise of these impediments. Surveys done in recent years reveal that nearly half of LGBTQ+ adolescents have seriously considered suicide. This is already an alarmingly high rate, and it is only bound to increase with the further isolation that censorship causes.
The targeting of specific minorities isn’t limited to the LGBTQ+ community, but also people of color. Books like The Hate U Give, Monday’s Not Coming, and Ghost Boys - which all bring light to common issues that people of color face - have been challenged or banned. This erasure of history and ignorance towards prevalent issues accomplishes nothing but breeding more ignorance and hatred within an already flawed society. More than a year after the murder of George Floyd, 65% of Black Americans surveyed said they felt the increased national attention on racial inequality did not lead to changes that improved their lives. If a change is to be made to improve this statistic, erasing texts which educate people about racial issues is not the way to go. Hatred only breeds hatred.
At this point, the extreme censorship comes off as an attempt to erase history and ignore issues that minorities face. To put things in perspective, a report from the American Library Association demonstrated that there were more than 1,597 book challenges or removals in 2021 alone, which is a huge spike compared to years prior, and the trend will likely continue.
Until the United States government rids itself of this tyrannical oppression, the country can hardly claim itself to be “free.” Books are knowledge. Our independent republic should not allow the shielding of American citizens from that knowledge.
By Emma Toney
May 22 2023
Oshkosh West index Volume 119 Issue VIII