America the free.....?

I know there is a lot said against the USA (and I am "guilty" of this, too),
but I firmly believe the Americans bring it upon themselves, especially the
religious/Christians/whatever. Yesterday I came upon a website listing the
books which have been banned by schools and libraries all over the USA -
books like "The Catcher in the Rye", etc. It actually shocked me to realise
how restricted and narrow-minded American society really is, and makes me
appreciate how happy I am not to be one from that country. One hears of
people emigrating to the USA in their hoardes, apparently to get to the land
of freedom - what a shock it must be when they arrive and discover the
truth.

Literature is just one aspect in which the USA shows its real side; there
are many other areas, some so mundane and inane, that I shudder to think how
the minds of the people work. I won't even begin to discuss other facets of
USA life like the CIA, FBI, etc., or the Christian fanatics

Thank goodness there is life outside the USA where I can read what I like,
and live my life in comparative freedom.

Wednesday, the 10th of March, 2004

Scrutor wrote:

Yesterday I came upon a website listing the
books which have been banned by schools and libraries all

over the USA - books like "The Catcher in the Rye", etc.


Umm, "banned by schools" could mean parents complained
about a teacher teaching that book, and a board decision
was made to remove the book from the curriculum. I see
no basic problem whatsoever with parents controlling
curriculum in the schools at such a level. This is not
at all the same category of thing as banning the publication
of a book, or banning it from inclusion in a public library,
or even from a school library.

Mike Morris
(msmorris@netdirect.net)