For Banned Books Week, Michigan advocates take a stand against censorship

[marmar]

(Detroit Metro Times) Book bans are no longer a distant problem but an alarming reality in the United States. According to research conducted by PEN America, instances of book banning increased 33% nationwide from the 2021-22 to 2022-23 school year.

With Michigan caught in the crossfire, concerned parents, educators, and bookstores are joining forces to protect the diversity of voices found in the books on local shelves.

The annual Banned Books Week takes place from Oct. 1-7, celebrating the freedom to read and uniting book lovers to address the issue of censorship. Booksweet in Ann Arbor is one Michigan bookstore fighting for change, preparing to host a Banned Book Social from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 to spread awareness about book bans locally.

Owners Truly Render and Shaun Manning describe themselves as “life and business partners,” and have a lot of knowledge on book bannings and advocate heavily for social justice issues at their shop. The pair hopes that the upcoming open house-style gathering, which will feature a diverse lineup of speakers, story sessions, and family-friendly activities, will allow people to have a fun time while learning about a not-so-fun problem. ............(more)

https://www.metrotimes.com/news/michigan-advocates-take-a-stand-against-censorship-for-banned-books-week-34278565

[BOSSHOG]

1. THE UGLY AMERICAN by W. Lederer and E. Burdiek

Published 1958

On the back cover of this paperback in large letters

IF THIS WERE NOT A FREE COUNTRY THIS BOOK WOULD BE BANNED

[MichMan]

2. IMO, some books should be banned from libraries

I don't believe books about subjects like making ghost guns, building bombs, or white supremacy should be available in libraries.