Burning Books/Banning Books

wikipedia:

Book burning is the practice of ceremoniously destroying by fire one or more copies of a book or other written material. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded. The practice, usually carried out in public, is generally motivated by moral, religious, or political objections to the material. Books can be also destroyed in secret, like millions of books in the former Soviet Eastern Bloc.

wikipedia:

Many societies have banned certain books.

Notably, children's books that deal with death or other teenage angst or various crimes often find themselves banned perhaps because of parental worries about teenage suicide or copycat crimes. Many publications are targeted on the premise that children would be corrupted by reading them.

What do you think about burning books? It it necessary? Censorship gone too far?

Almost every town in every country has some banned book, but fewer burn books. Personally, my city has banned some books such as Go Ask Alice, Fahrenheit 451, and A Clockwork Orange, to name a few.

I don't think it is necessary. To quote someone whose name escapes me, "To change people's minds, you don't have to burn books. Only get people to stop reading them."

I think certain books shouldn't be given to people unless they're a certain age. Meaning, don't sell Penthouse Letters to minors.

I burned a book once. I regret it. Not because of the book, but because of what I did. It was a book my grandmother gave me about being intolerant in the name of Christianity. I burned it as soon as I moved out of my house.

Some books, I'm okay with being banned as long as they're not ridiculously hard to get. In my town, there's a section in every bookstore for banned books, but we can't get them at a library or the library loses their funding.

But burning books is what I have problems with. I think it's the worst thing ever to take something someone has put their heart and soul into and burn it, show so blatantly that it meant nothing to you.

Mrs. Melting Crayons:

Some books, I'm okay with being banned as long as they're not ridiculously hard to get. In my town, there's a section in every bookstore for banned books, but we can't get them at a library or the library loses their funding.

My library was forced to ban a book that had a single paragraph that talked nongraphically about sex. The woman who crusaded to get the book pulled was the minister's wife at my church. She compared herself to Jesus in her crusade.

Also, I hate books being pulled because they have "witchcraft" or whatever. Harry Potter is not a book that needs to be banned. Neither is Anne Rice. I agree with ratings on books, like on movies, but not with banning them. Ever.

Burning books is something you're allowed to do with your freedom of expression, you're trying to make a statement, and even if I disagree with your statement, you still have the right to do it. I remember reading reading an interview with some priest defending Marilyn Manson when he burns the bible during his concerts to make political points. A lot of people from a particular church in his town were protesting a concert of Marilyn's and they burned CDs, The Priest said that they were protesting the very thing they were doing, and that no one should be banned from expressing himself, I agree. Even though I think there are better ways to protest, they're still allowed.

It humors me when people burn Harry Potter books :shifty JK Rowling gets paid for the sales of the books, regardless of if they're bought to be burned or to be read, they aren't accomplishing anything.

As for books being banned, I never support that. Regardless of if the content of a book is adult or unpopular, the author has the right to be heard. Restrict it to adults or put a warning on it, I'm fine with that, but banning it? That's taking away someones free speech. Even the minority opinion has the right to be heard, we cannot just ban it. I flinch whenever I hear of books being banned. Books were one the most powerful form of media society had, that just isn't the case anymore.

druscilla; downpour.:

I agree with ratings on books, like on movies, but not with banning them. Ever.

Ratings would be good.

I guess banning them is just a way to say that people disapprove. I think in most places, they're still relatively easy to get.

Mrs. Melting Crayons:

druscilla; downpour.:

I agree with ratings on books, like on movies, but not with banning them. Ever.

Ratings would be good.

I guess banning them is just a way to say that people disapprove. I think in most places, they're still relatively easy to get.

Not in small towns that don't even have bookstores.

I don't think banning is ever necessary.
It isn't up to somebody else to decide what you should or shouldn't read.
I don't see a problem with ratings or warnings, but never should it be banned.
Let people decide for themselves.

I think that like everyone has said, burning books it terrible.
Banning books is...if it's necessary, then okay, but like, there should be a section in the bookstore that has Banned books.
My problem is that, if my town were to ban books, I have to go 45 miles out of my way to the nearest Barnes & Nobles to get that book. So, no, I don't really appreciate it.
But there are some things that children shouldn't read, and that's why those bans were put there, I suppose.

Jepha Howard.:

I think that like everyone has said, burning books it terrible.
Banning books is...if it's necessary, then okay, but like, there should be a section in the bookstore that has Banned books.
My problem is that, if my town were to ban books, I have to go 45 miles out of my way to the nearest Barnes & Nobles to get that book. So, no, I don't really appreciate it.
But there are some things that children shouldn't read, and that's why those bans were put there, I suppose.

There's a difference between not letting children read books and banning books because they encourage free thinkings. Books are generally banned because adults are terrified. I can't think of a single book that was banned for a decent reason.

If books come online on the internet, it'll be a sad day. Though that is probably another topic for later.

Banning of books is completely irrelevant, once people find out what books are banned, they are more than likely going to want to read the said books, to see why they have been banned.
Burning of books is just silly, if you disagree with what someone has written about burning a book isn't going to make a difference, for one thing you'd have to buy the book, for another if it's a major protest a lot of people will probably be intreged by it and want to read said book to see what it is all about. Even then you might burn a valueable book; considering how many books the Nazi's burned, some of them would have been valuable now.
Burning books is just a waste of time, but I love books; the only reason a person should burn a book is if they can't pay the heating. Having ratings on books would be pretty good too, it would make life easier for everyone.

Blue Demon:

If books come online on the internet, it'll be a sad day.

There's already some online; I think Google has plans to make the biggest library in the world online, and all free. At least, I read something like that in the paper a while ago... Maybe it wasn't free. I'm not sure (and too lazy to find out). But there are already books online, and they're being put up at a rapid rate.

Emilyemilyemily:

Blue Demon:

If books come online on the internet, it'll be a sad day.

There's already some online; I think Google has plans to make the biggest library in the world online, and all free. At least, I read something like that in the paper a while ago... Maybe it wasn't free. I'm not sure (and too lazy to find out). But there are already books online, and they're being put up at a rapid rate.

^^I know some classics are already available online.

I don't agree with books or anything [CDs, movies, etc] being banned anywhere, but I guess it's up to the government's decision. >.>

Oh I remember how bad Mario Vargas Llosa [amazing amazing amazing writer] swore when he found out that Bill Gates wants to make all books in electronic format. :tehe:
I honestly think it would be a pity. I want my books there, on paper, in front of me, so I can flip through and read. I know that you should borrow as many books as possible and try not to buy many to save paper and all, but still online library would be rubbish. And actually it is, I hate to read books online.

Here nothing's banned, because if a book got banned everyone would spazz out and mention communist censorship. And that makes everyone crazy here.
However, last fall the Orthodox and Catholic church protested against the translation of the satanic gospel [or something like that]. The book got published after all and wasn't banned or anything.

I also strongly disagree with rating. I mean books are arranged on sections anyway, you won't get adult books in the children section. A huge PG 13 on the from cover would just ruin the book.

LoveAlone.:

I also strongly disagree with rating. I mean books are arranged on sections anyway, you won't get adult books in the children section. A huge PG 13 on the from cover would just ruin the book.

Not to mention how much rating systems for other media fail. Look at how CDs are rated. They get advisory stickers for the silliest things, while some CDs with mature content get totally overlooked. I don't think responsible parents should rely on a sticker placed on a CD or a rating on a movie to judge if it's appropriate for their children, it should be an informed choice they make based on the maturity of their child. Books need to be the same way, in my opinion.

Never. Ever. Books shouldn't be burned, or banned. Of course, some books will always be accused of being disturbing, a bad influence and all the rest. But I find burning of books simply barbarious. Only writers should have the right to burn their own books. Of course children shouldn't read erotica genre books, but then again, there are measures that are taken so that doesn't happen. Not to mention there will always be chances such a book falls into the hands of a child. It happens. I found such a book in the park, when I was almost 6, and, as an early reader, I read words I'm still reluctant to say out loud around parents.

Virtual format. That's flippin' awful! Where's the fun of reading a book if you can't admire the texture of the page or smell its smell??? I mean, I can tell my books with closed eyes just by feeling the pages and smelling their scent.

LoveAlone.:

Oh I remember how bad Mario Vargas Llosa [amazing amazing amazing writer] swore when he found out that Bill Gates wants to make all books in electronic format. :tehe:
I honestly think it would be a pity. I want my books there, on paper, in front of me, so I can flip through and read. I know that you should borrow as many books as possible and try not to buy many to save paper and all, but still online library would be rubbish. And actually it is, I hate to read books online.

Here nothing's banned, because if a book got banned everyone would spazz out and mention communist censorship. And that makes everyone crazy here.
However, last fall the Orthodox and Catholic church protested against the translation of the satanic gospel [or something like that]. The book got published after all and wasn't banned or anything.

I also strongly disagree with rating. I mean books are arranged on sections anyway, you won't get adult books in the children section. A huge PG 13 on the from cover would just ruin the book.

I don't mean like a sticker on the cover. I mean like something posted on the inside. Like how here, people mention in the summary if it contains language, explicit sex scenes, violence, etc.

I don't think books should get banned. The author obviously cared enough about a topic to write an entire book about it. The author wants to get his/her opinon out there, and writing is their way of doing so.

There will always be people who don't like it. And if they don't, then fine, they just don't have to read them. I think same goes with any other art form. If you don't like an artist or movie, don't listen/watch. It angers me when books/movies/CDs get banned simply because one soccer mom doesn't want her children learning about "adult" topics they're going to learn about sooner or later, anyways.

Book ratings are a good idea, though, I do believe.

burning a book is just not right. i do know they burn old religous books, but i still think that's wrong, we should preserve history.
banning in what way? like you can ban a specific group of people for example children from buying a book. but i don't think you should ban someone from reading a book because they thought it was too graphic or anything. someone wrote it, and i think the author would appreciate it to be read.