Banned Books WeekSeptember 26−October 3, 2009

So, it's Banned Books week, and I didn't even realize that until earlier today. They really should promote this more. It's important. It's not even on the American Library Association's main page, and it's their event. What the fuck?

Look what happened last year:

Banned Books Week
September 27–October 4, 2008



Enraged library patrons are seen here destroying dozens of copies of Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, and some of the books in Jan Karon's Mitford series. A handful of surly teenagers, dressed mostly in black, were also seen tossing in copies of Breaking Dawn, the final book in Stephanie Meyer's wildly popular vampire series, describing the conclusion of the series as "disappointing."

It was horrible. But the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, so we resist those who would squash even the least of our ideas.

Whenever ideas are squashed in this country, literate lovers of the American experiment write careful and intricate explantions of why all ideas must be allowed to live. It is time for them to realize that they are attempting to explain America at its bravest and most optimistic to orangutans.

From now on, I intend to limit my discourse with dimwitted Savonarolas to this advice: "Have somebody read the First Amendment to the United States Constitution out loud to you, you God damned fool!"

—Kurt Vonnegut
1981

God bless you, Mr. Vonnegut.