Book Banning: It's Not Just for Fascists Anymore (9/27/06)

The week of September 23 to 30 opens another chapter in annual Banned Books Week. All we can say is, "It's about time!" There are so many books being published (10,000 a year -- and that's just the fiction!), we can't keep up. Following the list of taboo tomes offers us the opportunity to get rid of some books and writers we just can't stand. So, away with you, "Ulysses"! No one understands you, anyway. Dr. Seuss: all that rhyming, what's the use? "Scary Stories in the Dark," "Christine," and "Cujo"? Who wants to spend money to be scared? "How to Eat Fried Worms," "James and the Giant Peach," and "The Grapes of Wrath"? These books are totally lacking in wholesome nutritional advice. "Where's Waldo?" We'll tell you where he is: on the junkpile! Goodness! This is exhausting! But the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, and it's better to err on the side of censorship than to find that someone's mind has been irreparably opened... Right?