Letter to the Editor: Proud Iowan

I have just finished with an article regarding banned books here in the United States. The article indicates that Florida and Iowa are responsible for most of them; as many as 10,000 nationwide. The article appears in what is apparently an online publication called “19th.”

I can not verify the numbers of banned books nor the statement that Iowa and Florida lead the country in the banning of books, but the simple allegation is enough to make any Iowan proud. Hey, we’re leading the country in ignorance and intolerance. Way to go Iowa! Let’s keep up the good work; there is always more to do in the fight against knowledge and tolerance and we shouldn’t be satisfied with what has already been accomplished.

As remarked previously, banning and burning books has a long and illustrious history. Throughout medieval Europe whenever a book came along to contest the local beliefs, to the flames it went and sometimes the author along with it. Standard practice folks so what we need to understand is that what Iowa and Florida are doing has a pedigree; an established practice of centuries.

We have here the traditional demise of unwanted literature and unwanted ideas and practices. One set of people decide what other sets of people will have access to and what they will not have access to. Very simple really. Whoever is in charge gets to choose our reading material; what could be fairer than that? Democracy at work, right?

Now, as you have probably guessed, I’m not in favor of burning books or authors nor of banning them. Many people have made and continue to make a conscious effort to know as little about the world they live in and the people who accompany them here on planet earth. I have never thought this a reasonable or responsible view, but who am I? If a person doesn’t want to read a book, they are free not to read it. If the person who has not read the book doesn’t want to hear about it, they don’t have to hear about it. No one is forcing other people to be ignorant; that is a choice each of us has to make for ourselves.

Just as I will not force someone not to read a book, I request that others not resist my efforts to read a book or my child’s efforts. Seems only fair.

Richard E. H. Phelps II

Mingo