Our Freedom to Read: Happy Independence Day!

Happy Fourth of July Everyone! I was thinking about what I wanted to blog about today and thought, since it’s a holiday (here in the U. S. A. anyway) I should blog about something that has to do with the National Day of Barbeques and Fireworks. And since I am still mostly a literary blog I thought I would try and stay on topic, so what better way to celebrate our freedom than to discuss the highly controversial topic of censorship. Yay!

Censorship: “The practice of officially examining books, movies, etc., and suppressing unacceptable parts.” This is the definition according to Google. Now, I believe the best way to begin is to determine when censorship is acceptable. For most people censorship carries a bitter taste and has lead to a great many people being offended, but are there times when it is appropriate? As I sit here at my makeshift desk I have been trying to think of an answer and the only one I can come up with is this: there is no time when it is appropriate.

Freedom, the freedom we have fought for, the freedom some have died for, is something that belongs to everyone. Just like an opinion. Even if I think that a book, movie, etc. should not be read, watched, or enjoyed by anyone, that doesn’t matter, even if it is the truth, because I don’t have the right to make that decision for anyone other than my family and myself.

Freedom is being able to exercise my rights without the impediment of others and only so long as my rights do not impede others from exercising their own. So lets celebrate the day by remembering the freedoms we have received and the opportunity we have to read, learn about, and enjoy that which makes us happy.

P.S. If anyone has any thoughts they would like to contribute I would love to hear them. Thank you, and have a wonderful Fourth of July.