Banning books: Protecting kids or erasing humanity? – By Harry Bruinius (CS Monitor) / Oct 6, 2023
Kasey Meehan says it was her long-held love for books that made her become, in one sense, their political advocate.
“As simple as that sounds, I think that’s what brings many folks on the team to this role,” says Ms. Meehan, program director of the Freedom to Read initiative at PEN America, a nonprofit that advocates for freedom of expression at the intersection of human rights and literature. “For many of us, reading has just been such a foundational part of our own self-discovery and a kind of self-awareness-building experience.”
In some ways, it is this very power of books and ideas that has often thrust them into the center of politics, either to bolster existing authority or to pose a threat. Given the emotional impact of literature and storytelling, it may not be surprising that those who would ban certain books understand their potential impact and power.
It’s a particularly busy week for Ms. Meehan and her organization as they participate in the annual Banned Books Week, founded in 1982 and sponsored by a consortium of publishers and nonprofits. This year, they are highlighting what they see as the dangers of banning books in school, especially at a time when such bans have been increasing across the United States, particularly in Republican-led states.
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