Censor This! on CBC
Just in time for Freedom To Read Week and Music Freedom Day, CBC is dedicating a bunch of its programming to topics related to censorship. I am so excited for this!
For example, Quirks & Quarks, the science show that even I like, is looking at the issues of censorship in science on February 24th. "Censorship in science is a very big issue right now in the US, and it affects us all. Among the issues surrounding censorship in science are: censoring of speech by US government agencies; removing scientists from government panels; limiting or denying funding to scientists; rejecting scientific conclusions; revising or rewriting scientific reports; making ideological appointments to scientific agencies and advisory groups; and self-censorship by scientists afraid of losing funding or being targeted by religious groups."
In case you aren't familiar,
Freedom To Read Week: "is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms." You can learn more about the week at its website.
The week has been celebrated, or noted, for over 25 years and remains important today since censorship takes place in Canada more than you might think. I am always blown away by these lists, partly because I've noticed that oftentimes the people who demand books be taken off school curriculums, removed from libraries, etc. have never even read the books they are protesting.
On that note, I wish you all an empowering Freedom To Read Week!
posted by Susan @ 2:46 PM
3 Comments:
Just in time for Freedom to Read Week, the Pelham Public Library is issuing this challenge to readers everywhere.
Take the "Banned Book Challenge."
Set a goal for yourself to read as many banned or challenged books as you wish between February 26 (Freedom to Read Week) and June 30, 2007. Visit the Pelham Public Library’s Fahrenheit 451: Banned Book Blog (http://www.pelhamlibrary.blogspot.com/) to set your goal and report on your progress. Not sure what to read? Check out the lists on the sidebar, click on our LibraryThing banner or visit some of the links. Don't forget to visit your own library in person too.
Great post Susan!
I did a bulletin board display for Freedom to Read Week and a book display of banned books. Surprisingly, both have generated a bit of interest.
Roxanne, that's so great! What books did you include in your display?
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