No Book Should Ever Be Banned!

When I first heard of countless spectacular books being banned from libraries and schools all across the United States I couldn't help but be angry and confused. Sure it  didn't seem like a country so democratic and liberal would limit one's access to such enlightening things like books. I was also shocked that the reason for their banning was because the books were considered "explicit" in some way. That is ridiculous, because compared to what teens see on TV or on the Internet or the songs they listen to on the radio, books are nowhere close to "explicit". If a book seems inappropriate for your son or daughter, you have the right to forbid them from reading it, but you cannot take that opportunity from the hands of hundreds of students. 

First of all, if songs about sex or drugs are not restricted from radio stations accessible during the daytime, books about the same topics should most definitely not be banned just because they contain these elements. I mean, have you seen the music videos on YouTube lately? YouTube is a very accessible site that many teenagers go on daily. Like the author of The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian states "There's nothing in my book that even compares to what kids can find on the Internet". YA books might contain some profanity too, but at least they educate adolescents! Instead of spending so much energy trying to ban books, maybe you should direct that energy to restricting explicit songs from popular radio stations.

I do not think that in any way someone has the right to limit so many young adults' access to books. No matter what you think or feel about a book, you should not forbid others from reading them. I believe that while a book's topic might seem inappropriate to you, that does not state the views of other parents and students. As Mary Elizabeth Williams states in her argumental article opposing pro-book ban critic Megan Cox Gurdon, "Is there a problem here, besides, perhaps, the offense to Gurdon's sensibilities?"

I understand that sometimes YA fiction can seem disturbing and grim for teenagers to read. But when do we expect the youth of this generation to learn about the hardships of life? Do we except them to eternally be the little children that believe in our tales of princesses and happy endings? Sorry to break it to you, but your children need to grow up sometime in life, and adolescence is the time for that. Like William's daughter claims, "...they're called 'Young Adult'. Adult!" (Williams 2)

In conclusion, I strongly believe that no book, including YA fiction, should be banned from the use of anyone, anytime, and anywhere. Banning books is limiting the basic freedoms of citizens and it is both morally and logically wrong to forbid people from accessing them, especially great ones like "The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" and "The Hunger Games".