How Conservative Book Bans Don’t Protect Kids Part 1

Conservatives are making a concerted effort to purge schools of books written by people of color and LGBTQ authors. But book bans don’t protect kids. They just turn them into assholes. Part 1 of 2. This is a digital exclusive.
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[@useyournoodle100]

I am a librarian in a high school in Canada, I put several copies of Maus on a table with a sign saying "this book was just banned in Tennessee", all the copies were checked out by the end of the day. Banning books just makes them more popular.

[@animeotaku307]

Had an older guy ask for a copy at the library I work at because he “wanted to know what the fuss was about.”

[@megapiglatin2574]

Not going to lie, I had never heard of Maus but now I, too, want to know what the fuss is about....looks like a good book!

[@BobbyHickey]

A native of Tennessee, the lack of Democrat representation is embarrassing. How did we come to this? Where did all the Democrats go?

[@sophierobinson2738]

Beau of the fifth column sometimes wears a t-shirt that says "Banned books are the best books". You should take a peek at his channel.

[@alexwilliams5799]

@@megapiglatin2574 its about the Holocaust but everyone are mice

[@johnmesser3278]

History Lesson: Nazi's loved burning books and banning them as well.

[@kingjamos2422]

Don't forget people. Nazis loved banning people.

[@therealhiesenberg2731]

I'm just glad Dr. Jones got Henry's grail diary before it was tossed into the fire.

[@havable]

The first act of christianity was to burn down the library at Alexandria. The Nazis had the emblem "god is with us" on their uniforms, alongside all the skulls.

[@Coni2009]

@@havable well that's not true. Caesar first burnt it, further damaged in civil wars and then finally destroyed when Alexandria fell to the muslims. Why do you bother to take a famous and well documented reality and then lie about it?

[@meoff7602]

@@Coni2009 Yeah, but Christians did do alot book burning. In fact it took a secret order of monks to save what little is left from Christian book burning. Let's not even get into Christian's rich history of destroying statues.

[@eh2203]

They wanted to ban “The Name Jar”?? It’s a sweet picture book about a little girl teaching her classmates how to pronounce her name because she is not a native English speaker. What a totally asinine “controversy” 🙄

[@vickigreen9545]

My young girls love that story

[@sebastianrubin7476]

That sounds like a great children's book; teaching valuable lessons about the right way to handle new friends with unfamiliar names.

[@KatherineTheGreat501]

It's none white so....

[@laurenwalker1048]

They’re bigots. I just hope their children break free from the cycle of hate.

[@dnnyshdy5189]

@@laurenwalker1048 You don't even know what a bigot is

[@Labor_Jones]

*THE RULE I GREW UP ON:* _Whenever a Republican starts to complain about corruption, they are doing it themselves now._

[@kingjamos2422]

To be fair, that is more of a politician thing. However, as much as I hate to say it, the republican party have been getting gold in the Hypocrisy Olympics for a while now.

[@Starcrash6984]

@@kingjamos2422 Is it merely the politicians? Was it only the politicians who were whining about cancel culture but are now in support of book banning? Was it only the politicians who supported Mitch McConnell's block of a Supreme Court Justice and support of Trump's lame duck nomination of Amy Comey Barrett? Was it just the politicians that argued against alleged election fraud while defending Trump's attempts at election fraud? It may start with the politicians (or, more often, FOX News talking points) but while the base defends every one of those hypocrisies, it is not "more of a politician thing".

[@kingjamos2422]

@@Starcrash6984 I feel like I'm being quite misunderstood. For one, I didn't say that only politicians do that. Now I probably didn't word it as well as I could have and for that I'm sorry. I was just trying to say that it is a common thing in politicians. Then I proceeded to say that the republican party had been pretty guilty of doing this. Thus the "gold in the Hypocrisy Olympics" bit in my comment.

[@Starcrash6984]

@@kingjamos2422 Sorry. I had no intention to straw-man you. I was guessing that, by using your argument to correct Marvin above, that this was the point of disagreement.

[@agilemind6241]

I found that aspect of Trump's speeches the most amusing. Clearly so many times he wanted to say "I know the Democrats are doing [bad thing] because we are doing it too!"

[@pipster1891]

"Banning books denies students to think critically about the past.." Well, yes, that's the point. And if you stop them thinking critically about the past, they're less likely to be critical about the present, too, and thus even as adults, they'll DO WHAT THEY'RE TOLD.

[@lindsayeller8649]

Yes 👏👏👏

[@annerigby4400]

This all may actually trigger school age Americans into actually reading. Back in the 90's schools in the states we lived in would have summer reading programmes where they rewarded kids for reading. Our family thought this was unbelievable since the reward for reading is in the reading. Talk about teaching kids that reading is a chore! So, if all this book banning is causing people to sit up and read, then good will come of it and perhaps in the not too distant future the likes of the Orange One will have a harder time conning a third of the population.... I'm guessing that third of the population are not avid readers of literature .... just slogans, hats, T-shirts..... the odd banner if it is colourful enough... They are most definitely NOT critical thinkers!

[@patrickoneill464]

If your side really feels that way then why are you trying to get Rid of the adventures of Huckleberry Finn ?

[@whitneymouse]

@@patrickoneill464 source? Idk anyone who wants to ban the book, but I can think of why some people might be critical of it since it contains racial slurs.

[@UmmYeahOk]

Critical thinking is something only dirty liberal commies do. We don’t want the next generation voting that way. Voting regulations and gerrymandering and only do so much.

[@rainbowghentian]

I am really appreciative of them making a list of must read books.

[@pinkrose5796]

Love your comment😂😂😂😂😂

[@jospinner1183]

Exactly! And people don't need to wait until the last week of September (Banned Books Week) to get started on that reading list!

[@Ratboy2004]

Streisand Effect. LoL

[@amberridley4222]

exactly!!!

[@lypscratch]

You win the internet! I'll be stealing this comment as many times as I can.

[@rhinelander7]

For a bunch of people who screech about "Cancel Culture" every day, they seem pretty okay with canceling books about other people's culture...

[@emsanders9701]

For a bunch of people who partake in cancel culture every day, they seem pretty hypocritical crying about protecting the first amendment

[@silverwebb8691]

@Em Sanders Who partakes in "cancel culture"? Is it the LEFTTTT? Please...

[@rexrocker1268]

Would you like Hitlers Mein Kampf in your children’s library? It’s not a ban on a book, we can buy his garbage book right now, same with any other author. But to you one opinion in a book is ok while another is not. I say let all the books in the library, no matter how deplorable, but I would bet big money you would not like that.

[@emsanders9701]

@@silverwebb8691 yeah its the left.. its always the left.. thats what I was saying lol

[@vanessaoyole7790]

@@emsanders9701 lol. The right is all about cancelling things. It started with a purple teletubby and the Dixie Chicks. I'm old enough to remember. FOH

[@chumark54]

These kids who protest the book bans are the HOPE of this country.

[@joseayala2940]

I agree 110% with your statement is one of the few things that give hope.

[@gaping9001]

yup.

[@russellmiles2861]

Nah the folk protesting these books are the hero’s. These book are often ignored and little read. Now kids are going on line to find the offending texts. Now if only they could ban the KJV and folk might realise evangelicals are just selectively reading parts to reinforce their ideologies.

[@honeyalmontereynoso7609]

@@russellmiles2861 hey! You have a point 😂😂😂

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

Yes, there's nothing as good as disobedient children accessing things meant for older readers.

[@wendy5116]

In 8th grade, our class had to write essays on why libraries were important. Little did we know, our teacher was submitting them for a statewide contest in PA. My essay was all about banning books - if you ban them, you tell some voices that they aren’t worthy to be heard (!!!) AND … since books are actually a safe way to explore some thoughts and feelings vs going out and having those experiences…well, bans actually encourage the experiences people are trying to prevent others from having by taking away this safe exploration. I won first place over 100k entries across the state and won my school library $300 worth of books. I got introduced to the governor (Bob Casey) who was from my hometown and got introduced to a session of the House of Representatives 😲 it was all such a surprise. This book banning brought back all of the memories from this experience. (PSLA is the organization; I won back in the ‘80s lol)

[@ctdieselnut]

All implications from this story to yours aside, good job. I bet you thought twice when someone asked you to complete a task without a goal being obvious. Its learning on multiple levels.

[@rexrocker1268]

Nobody is banning books. This is bullcrap. Let’s have Penthouse and playboy magazines in school libraries, do you think that would be appropriate? I don’t.

[@standowner6979]

@@rexrocker1268 I wonder whether you watched the video?

[@rexrocker1268]

@@standowner6979 I am not trying to be nasty. You ever read the book called Native Son? It’s a masterpiece. Imagine someone not liking something about it and having it taken off the shelf. It wouldn’t be a ban, but it would be a huge shame. But it’s not political and I think no books should be taken off shelves, but these aren’t book bans. And let’s be honest, the left folks threw books in the garbage because they didn’t like them. You know? Not a ban, but they didn’t like Mark Twain saying the N word as a nickname for a character in the story so they threw the books away, you know?

[@edwardrhoads7283]

congrats!

[@bookishgirl316]

When I heard about the attempt of banning "Maus" I took it as a sign to read it. It is a masterpiece and highly suitable to teach the horrors of the holocaust. Sales of the book have risen significantly as well. All the best to those who have to defend their right to educate themselves. Love from Germany

[@Echo81Rumple83]

It was in my father's comic book collections when I was a teenager, and I asked if I could read it. I'm glad I did; I held onto the copy in my personal collection. My only regret is not being able to lend it back to him for his reading list before he passed away in December...

[@bookishgirl316]

@@Echo81Rumple83 I'm sure he didn't mind you kept the book...

[@angelainamarie9656]

Oh I remember the first time I bought a Banned Book. When Ayatollah Khomeini put out a fatwa on Salman Rushdie, I went to the bookstore and asked for a copy of the Satanic Verses, which out of fear for being attacked poor bookstore had to store out of sight where no one could see it and only show it on request. I now have a rapidly-growing library of anti-authoritarian, anti-fascist, feminist lgbtq literature that gets added to every time I hear of another book they want to ban. It really feels like this is going to have a Streisand effect on these books Also edited to add I see very little difference between what the Ayatollah was doing 30 years ago and what the US conservative right are doing now they're just two versions of the same picture

[@stevinie7free]

Really want to read it.

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

I read the series when it first went into print. It has always been a masterpiece, and I am thrilled that you decided to get into it. Repugnicans and conservatives always undermine themselves, which is great entertainment. Listen to them cry and cry and watch them clutch their pearls as book sales skyrocket!

[@ksolster9787]

If I've learned one thing it's that those screaming about something being immoral are ALWAYS the ones who've actually partaken in them

[@thexalon]

I mean, it's pretty obvious when you think about it: If reading about the possibility of being homosexual makes you want to be homosexual, *you already wanted to be that and just didn't know*.

[@Ngamotu83]

One name: Larry Craig. Another name: Ted Haggard.

[@christinemccrea4371]

you know you could drive a garbage truck up that woman's arse.

[@simongiles9749]

@@Ngamotu83 Its even known as "Haggard's Law".

[@NiaLaLa_V]

Yeah my parents are these people. They tell everybody else to stop being so immoral. Dad has been cheating on mom for literally 50 years. And that's just the start of their dirty laundry.

[@tylerhackner9731]

I feel kids might just want to learn more about our history since they’re being told not to learn about it. Makes it more interesting for them

[@Operation_FUBAR]

At least they’re learning.

[@Starcrash6984]

Agreed, but that's not the issue here -- you know that, right?

[@TheOfficialTarynTots]

If we don't learn from the past we a doomed to repeat it. That always stuck with me. The way to fight this is education. I remember when I learned about the holocaust I thought there is no way that could happen again. I also never thought we would be considered a sliding Democracy either. I have been truly worried for us and the World for a while now. The more signs from the past come up the more scared I feel about our future.

[@gototheend1139]

That's also why channels like oversimplified and others are so popular even with younger people

[@luv2charlie]

Too bad their parents somehow miss seeing themselves in Indiana Jones circling the fire burning books with the other Nazis!!!

[@jansteuart9396]

"If swearing and nudity are the worst parts of the holocaust. . ."for these people. Say it Samantha Bee!

[@azizahamura2592]

I bet a year's of my salary that Mien Kampf isn't getting banned by these people

[@EndeavorsDnB]

Oh, guaranteed. They won’t even add it to the pile tht they deem “suspicious, needs reviewing”. They’d walk right on by it.

[@chantalfinn6173]

Or the Bible

[@o.b.7217]

Allegedly, some of them even keep a copy of it on their nightstands...

[@azizahamura2592]

@@o.b.7217 "Allegedly" is doing so much work in that sentence.

[@MaximumCarne]

Ban their 2nd favorite book? Never.

[@krishutch3d]

I read some really gross stuff in some old book that definitely should be banned from libraries. I think it was called the bible

[@selalewow]

Don't get started on reading out of context and totally in context passages from the Bible. Or better yet, go to these meetings and start reading passages without saying where they are from until they start screaming for it to be banned.

[@qwertydog9795]

oh there's a lot of old books (even ones that were required reading in my school) that contained pretty lewd stuff. have these people never heard of Canterbury Tales???

[@roni6215]

Good one !

[@qwertydog9795]

@@selalewow yea somebody should read that passage about that one guy who was said to be hung like a horse 😂😂

[@selalewow]

@@qwertydog9795 or how much you should ask for when selling your daughter.

[@pambronson4467]

The only good thing to come from these book bans is that my Son's personal library grows each time. He has been an avid collector of banned books since he was twelve. One wall in his bedroom is his already almost filled. I may need to make space in the living room now.

[@Llynnyia]

That's so awesome! I would have loved that as a child. - Current book ownership in paper not counting electronic copies 346.

[@autonomouscollective2599]

That is a cool hobby. I wish I had thought of it.

[@catelynh1020]

As a person who owns nearly 700 books and graphic novels, I have to say... Organization is really important. When I was in middle school, I had a bookshelf. By high school, my parents added shelves to the sides of my closet. By college, I was renting and had 2-3 cardboard boxes of books I'd move back and forth so I had a steady supply of reading material. Once I got a house, I got 3 full bookshelves and added little steps in them so smaller books could have two rows per shelf (in essence having 6 bookshelves). I also got a wide shelf to carry the encyclopedias and things too big to fit on the tall bookshelves. And I *still* have books on the floor in nearly every room in the house. Go paperback when possible, dust the books and keep them from sunlight so they stay in good condition longer, and for the sake of all that's good, *don't* let the books take over other rooms without a set place to have them! Also, keep documentation on what books you have and where they're supposed to be. Excel spreadsheets can be your friend.

[@Martinbeef]

You’re a great parent!!! Your son is very lucky!

[@Sephiroth144]

A whole wall- come on, get him a kindle (or book reader of preference) =p

[@PhilosopherWR]

8:36 This girl brought a light to my otherwise bad day by saying this. What incredible empathy, it almost brings tears to my eyes. There's a lot of talk lately about how it makes white kids feel to learn the truth but she actually thought about what it felt like before for non-white kids to hear the lies.

[@mistermaam5222]

Remember, these are some of the same people who like to tout how much their generation were exposed to as kids and how they were much better for it as opposed to the soft, sheltered youth of today.

[@jessetorres8738]

What Conservative parents need to realize is that them freaking out about books they find offensive and decide to ban them to "protect the children" is ironically gonna make those same kids want to read those books even more now because their parent's censorship of things actually makes them more interesting. It's like telling a kid to not do something because it's dangerous or bad yet because kids are so impressionable it has the opposite effect on them.

[@justin0ldman233]

Leave the kids alone Libtards

[@tjjames9846]

@@justin0ldman233 - “Leave the kids alone” - Is that what the police tell you when you’re lurking around the playground? Must be why you’re obsessed with keeping kids ignorant. Easier to coax them into your windowless, white van.

[@kingjamos2422]

@@justin0ldman233 Weird, that is exactly what they were thinking about the Conservatives.

[@The_Cadaver]

@@justin0ldman233 My kids are fine. Keep the Bible-thumping idiocy in your own house, Cletus.

[@justin0ldman233]

@@kingjamos2422 We don't teach Racism or Gender identity You are the NAZI'S

[@janetttyminski7295]

The banned book list is simply a guide of all the books the teens NEED to read. We Baby Boomers wear jewelry with tiny pictures of the classic books that were banned when we were kids.

[@rexrocker1268]

I have a question for you, what books were banned? We can all go and buy Hitlers Mein Kampf right now. I have no interest in that book other than perhaps peaking into his insane mind, but what books were banned? Name a few. I never heard of any. At least not in the modern world. And to be clear, I think book banning of any kind is deplorable, even if it’s a nasty book written by a lunatic. Also, so a school or whatever stops having a book, it’s not banned. You can still access it easily.

[@russellmiles2861]

And now they are looking them up and reading them on line Keep banning more books I say.

[@Echo81Rumple83]

@@boatymsboatface3929 it's like a reverse shoplifting plan 😈

[@markfisher8198]

A bad book is still a book and therefore sacred.

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

@@markfisher8198 So my public school should have had a Bible in it?

[@kaoko111]

It was disgusting to see Maus being censored. Besides being one of the greatest comics of all time the book tells a compelling story about Manny themes that saddly are still relevant 80 years later.

[@vylbird8014]

Zero-tolerance policy on nudity: Some people cannot conceive of nudity as having any meaning other than pornographic.

[@tradrudeboy]

So, as it turns out, I *do* want people to learn both hygiene and what objects are safe to insert into their bodies. I don't want people to injure themselves or get infections because they just don't know it can happen.

[@fergierae]

As a librarian in Texas, I thank Sam for this segment.

[@texasiguana]

The saddest thing about this is that people want everyone to "be" and "think" like "themselves!" How boing and furthermore, they're in for a big shock!

[@tori2dles]

I can recall my mom not wanting me to read graphic parts of a novel when I was in Jr. High. She felt I was too young for it and she was probably right. BUT she was not for banning the book. Other parents were. They made a big kerfuffle at the school board meeting over it. My dad was on the board and he was siding with the pro-ban folks. Mom said, “Aren’t we responsible parents? Can’t we monitor our own kids? Can’t others do the same?” Mom bought her own copy of the book, read it and flagged the portions she felt were too adult for my 11 year old brain. Those were the portions I didn’t read. But everything else - the swearing and adult language, the graphic violence (predatory animal that was killing people) I did read. We discussed these items and she debriefed me to make sure I was doing okay (I did have nightmares one night.). But the point is that she didn’t just write off the book. She read it and made it age appropriate. Then she trusted me with the material.

[@jospinner1183]

I'm curious that she essentially excised portions of the book instead of simply talking with you about those parts when you read them. I mean, both are valid approaches, but if I was 11 and my parents told me I couldn't read pages 78-82 of a book, I would 100% be reading those behind their back, without them there to discuss the adult content. I tend to think that parental participation is the key to allowing children to explore literature while providing empathetic support to the kids.

[@pukitaki]

Your mom sounds like the kind of parent I try to be. But when I feel like scenes in a movie or pages in a book should be skipped, I actually prefer to tell my daughter the basic outline of what is happening and why I'm not sure she should see it and she gets to help decide whether she's ready for it. Almost always we end up agreeing to skip it, mostly because I work very hard to be aware of her limits and consider her perspective and feelings from the moment I even consider censoring anything.

[@catelynh1020]

I still remember in middle school I was with my mother at the library. I was already pretty bored of the ya books and was looking for something new, so I went over to the adult section and started looking at the fiction/fantasy there. I grabbed a book each of genres available and when i went to check them out she warned me that I might not be old enough for the pink book (romance, she was right; I dropped it after the first few chapters) or the stephen king novel (I was weirdly much more okay with that one). She ended up reading all the books I took out from curiosity, and made jokes about the romance novel's writing/plot for years. I don't regret their being so lax on my reading choices. I knew what I was capable of, and it probably would have been a different matter if I'd been like the other girls in my grade all devoutly reading 50 shades when it came out (no thank you, even to this day), or if I showed even the tiniest hint that I thought the bad things I read about were okay

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

Some parents work so many hours that they rely on schools to have safe libraries.

[@catelynh1020]

@@MilwaukeeWoman wait, I'm not sure how that correlates...? Parents working hours shouldn't determine what the kid feels ready to read or are capable of reading, and school libraries shouldn't not have books because parents can't helicopter what their kids read. If a kid takes out a book from the school library (or the town library), and the parent does not like what they checked out, then it's up to the parent to tell them they're not ready for it yet. Coming from someone who never really used my school's library and only ever used the public library, a kid should have an idea of what they're ready for and if they can't get it from one place, they'll look in another. (Yes, I read some fanfiction online in like high school, which required a total of 0 libraries)

[@minoltaaraya]

The one positive from this is seeing the kids fighting back, they give me hope. 🙏🏾❤️

[@sallopez3903]

I love how every single conservative parent is basically the Father From Footloose lol

[@Seantendo]

Nailed it.

[@lisaspikes4291]

Not really. The father from Footloose was going through a difficult time due to losing his child. He was lashing out due to his grief. He eventually came around and back to his senses. He was still an intelligent, thoughtful, caring man who just lost his way for awhile. This can be excused. What the book burners are doing is much more sinister.

[@noahfriedman6357]

@@lisaspikes4291 when I woke up this morning, I did not expect someone to not only play devil’s advocate for the father in footloose, but the in depth analysis of why the father in footloose is like that

[@mikereseigh]

Are now

[@michaeld9682]

Generalizations about groups of people can be a sign of lack of intelligence kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGexdaOAl6-Bodk

[@NewMessage]

Remember when the Righties laughed, and called us crazy for suggesting they'd be calling for books to be banned, or burned? Yeah, me too.

[@florida-man_850]

right? I mean if they just give the Left enough time, they’re bound to burn them all in one of their riots, anyways.

[@SJ-vb3tg]

a look, another republican sheep spewing the same old tired lies and exaggerations. lol snowflakes, so afraid of anything or anyone different.

[@chicago77]

@@florida-man_850 I'm thinking more like the books will become unreadable in the near future when snowflakes on the Right with extremist tendencies decide to shoot up random public libraries; effectively filling the books (and its potential readers) with holes.

[@florida-man_850]

@@chicago77 that comeback was too clunky…try something short and sweet like: “what’s the point? Trump supporters are barely literate in the first place” or “the religious right had already burned them before we got a chance to…” also, your premise needs to be more relevant. the right, even the far-right, isn’t known for shooting up public libraries, while there was public support from the left for the months of riots/larceny/arson/assaults/etc. keep at it, though, you’ll get there.

[@eskarina1000]

@Matt Matt. There was actually zero support for riots and looting. There was whole-hearted support for protests. Only about 3% of protests that year had any kind of violence, and about 50% of those violent incidents were instigated by people who went there to deliberately start violence, not the protestors.

[@adamk5937]

Banning books is a grand old tradition in America. When you’re eleven, it’s how you find books (or more likely samizdat excerpts) to read. I’m kind of impressed that people are assuming that kids are reading them, when middle school and high school is all about writing the report about a book you didn’t read. And I doubt all those karens actually read books . They read excerpts distributed by political groups. This is a racist and homophobic movement, as is most conservative controversy.

[@jospinner1183]

Exactly. Kids _love_ banned books. I remember feeling subversive when I read _Catcher in the Rye_ as a kid, after I heard is was banned in a bunch of places. Banned books are almost always great books.

[@myriamickx7969]

It is censorship. Disgusting.

[@georgelayton6641]

Seems like we would be better off if we taught children to read books rather than teach children to ban books.

[@havable]

Christians hate it when people can read

[@AProgressiveRockFanatic]

@@havable Please, can you demonstrate stereotyping more clearly?

[@jospinner1183]

@@AProgressiveRockFanatic I mean, they're being hyperbolic, but their general point isn't completely wrong. There's a strong Evangelical current running through the current book-banning frenzy. These are people who clearly don't want young people reading much.

[@reasonforliving3174]

You have the ssues

[@jospinner1183]

@@reasonforliving3174 What do you mean?

[@Ironraven001]

Banned books are the best books. Really loved seeing those kids stand up to their school board and win.

[@Thiefnuker]

then again "Mein Kampf" is banned in Germany lol

[@twincast2005]

@@Thiefnuker It isn't, actually.

[@ussinussinongawd516]

@@Thiefnuker it's not

[@sandramarshall8127]

People are trying to get books banned because they are afraid that if their children read them, they will have different values than the values their parents want them to have. They say, “Well, I read this book and it disturbs me.” Or, “My child will read this book and they will be disturbed. Therefore, everybody will have this feeling about the book.”

[@benniboop752]

I agree wholeheartedly!

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

That's true for the left, too. There's kids books on white nationalism being good, you want that one assigned in class?

[@denisemayosky1955]

@@MilwaukeeWoman Sure, the kids could use a good laugh!😂

[@havable]

8:28 The student hits the nail on the head. Racist parents throwing a tantrum at a school board meeting is what started this whole mess. The racist parents do not want the students to know our own history, they want it Whitewashed, as the student so accurately portrayed it. Give that kid an A, and most importantly, a history class that isn't censored by the state legislature.

[@AzeraV]

Won't this make most kids want to read the baned book?

[@-xirx-]

Best publicity Republican moral outrage, I'd imagine! Worked for a lot of other things.

[@austincde]

Maybe ,or it will make them more afraid of the unknown

[@Truecrimeresearcher224]

I would want to read a banned book.

[@Truecrimeresearcher224]

@@austincde depends on the kid. I would wanna read a book cause I was told not to

[@dr.jamesolack8504]

@AzeraV 56 years ago, in 9th grade, my English class had caught wind that “Catcher In The Rye” might be banned soon. Just about every kid in the class wound up reading it. And it wasn’t on the ‘books to read’ list until 10th grade!

[@hectornegron9155]

When my now 21 yr old daughter was about 9 or 10 she sounded so much mature and spoke in a much more natural way about any subject than all these so called adults put together.

[@catelynh1020]

I bet your child read. It makes a huge difference.

[@hectornegron9155]

@@catelynh1020 Yes she does. I used to buy books for her since an early age and so it paid off. Except for a two week cruise through the Caribbean with her mom when she turned 16, she has never traveled out of Puerto Rico yet she speaks four different languages. Spanish, English, Italian and sign language.

[@catelynh1020]

@@hectornegron9155 well done with that! I took 4 years of high school spanish (technically 4.5) and 4 years of college japanese, plus learned some asl when my roommate was taking a course in it so I could help her practice (and it made communicating in the loud environment we both worked in much easier), so I know just how huge of a thing that is. Unfortunately i've lost most of the vocab for them as I expose myself to too many languages and have to guess which language a word I'm thinking of is. Like, I know the word means "brother" in english, but is it japanese, chinese, korean, spanish, french, or what? The one downside to watching a lot of international tv. Hopefully she has an easier time than I do

[@hectornegron9155]

@@catelynh1020 I hear you. My respect to you for learning other languages. It's so gratifying being able to communícate with ppl of different cultures. Sometimes I find myself speaking spanish but thinking in english and vice versa. We have Italian and french roots by way of my paternal grandpa so she's preparing herself to visit those countries as soon as she finishes college which will be next yr. Could've finished already had it not been for covid.

[@hectornegron9155]

@@catelynh1020 👏👏🌹

[@chrislaprise398]

Sam, I love you for what you do. Making us laugh, and what you do for our country and our democracy. Thank you for your service, you are a true patriot. Not like those lie believers that think they’re the true patriots. They are parrots for the Republican Party.

[@darrylcarnell9095]

I find these levels of modern willful ignorance to be absolutely horrifying.

[@joseayala2940]

I sadly agree with you

[@dwhitman3092]

Dear Lord! MOST of the books that have been banned were on mandatory lists in advanced literature classes in the 70's.

[@quiveringmoist7558]

These are the people that still want creationism taught in public schools

[@maxryder995]

44

[@jospinner1183]

They mostly just don't want science taught in school. Learning science requires critical thinking and the evaluation of credible evidence. Those are big no-nos for these people.

[@phanticee]

@@maxryder995 44?

[@phanticee]

@@jospinner1183 none of the books they're banning are science books, though. At least, this round.

[@reasonforliving3174]

So you believe you are kin to ape & from the planet of the apes?! WOW! Fairy tales say a princess kisses a frog & it becomes a prince. But in a science books, this is science! No creation without a Creator or design without a Designer. Science 101

[@jc.1191]

Just today's version of book burning. Plus the actual book burning in Tennessee.

[@fromthehaven94]

Including the guy who boldly threw a Bible with the rest of the books.

[@havable]

@@fromthehaven94 We need to burn more bibles. We need to keep burning them until christians stop burning everything else

[@RonRuble]

Just a thought: have a rule where, before you can petition for or against a book in schools or libraries, you have to fill out a book report and earn a B or better. For this book report you would have to demonstrate that you read the material, that you understood the material, and that you critically compared the opinions expressed in the material against facts, or against dissenting opinions. Otherwise you're handed a failing grade and told to try again after passing the class where this book has used. Yes, I'm an unrealistic dreamer.

[@Labor_Jones]

*Haven't you noticed how the BILLIONAIRE Party is about FEELINGS* _and feelings can always defeat facts while member are still alive._

[@littlewingmyoho]

I finished Beloved last night ...its a heartbreaking story of loss but I couldn't find any reason this book is being banned

[@kuzuloz4189]

Let’s remember that this comes from the side that fights for “freedom” and “Free speech”

[@rhondalight70]

Child of the 80s and a voracious reader back in the day, banning books just made us seek them out to see what the fuss was all about. Why not, oh, I don't know, actually be a parent to your kids and when they have questions, be honest and answer as best as you can?

[@sjmullen6691]

Hey, here's an idea: Teach your kids how to tell right from wrong, and you won't have to shield them from the world forever.

[@BeGlamourlicious]

It breaks my heart that people want to burn books again. We did have that in my country. I’m German. After the Book burning came the people killing. Not a road anybody should take.

[@kevinbwillson4161]

Sam I love your wonderful opening doors on these dark or dim places making it palatable with your humor . Never leave us

[@bosnianlady10]

Read Joy Luck Club in high schools. I didn’t fully understand it. But it stayed with me. As I got older I understand it better. I understand those women better.

[@khaisval9937]

Thanks, Mom, for making it a weekly tradition to stop by a book store and let met run amock to pick a book that interested me. Tons of great conversations and opportunities to discuss history, cultural grey zones, and tons of fodder for family Scrabble nights. But hey, if you wanna raise your kid in a conspiratorial bubble of self inflicted social ignorance, there are so many capitalistic piranhas in need of a bite.

[@candice_ecidnac]

FYI it's amok, not amock. Sometimes it's misspelled as "amuck" but not "amock".

[@dinosaysrawr]

I want to go to one of these public meetings and start reading the steamiest stuff from the Old Testament.

[@ArcaJ]

Toni Morrison was part of our curriculum in my school. 😁

[@TheOfficialTarynTots]

At times I feel like I need to get copies of all the books they wanna ban just in case these people end up just pushing so hard that districts give up and burn these important parts of literature. I do own a decent amount that are on their banned lists. For example reading Toni Morrison expanded my mind when I was younger and I never want to take that away from any kid and Idk about her tell the school told me about her ( even my mom had her own copies at home and Idk). Also, if I was still young and someone said they wanted a book banned I would want to read it even more. Maybe this will get the kids who dont read to want to.

[@EndeavorsDnB]

Kinda feels like we’re in the pre-apocalypse period of Fahrenheit 451 TBTH… I don’t remember why the book burning started in tht story tho, I read it a while back. Never thought we’d see something like this becoming a frequent occurrence, especially IMT. It’s a worrying sight for sure.

[@jamespanizza3708]

No books are actually banned though. All they did was remove them from the curriculum. These books can be in the library, and kids can have them as well.

[@TheOfficialTarynTots]

@@jamespanizza3708 That is why I said all the books they wanna ban. Just because they haven't been able to thus far doesn't mean they won't be able to in the future.

[@jamespanizza3708]

@@TheOfficialTarynTots Well, i guess it doesn’t mean they will ban them either, since they haven’t tried to. It makes me wonder the point of this show segment. It flatly claims these books are banned when they aren’t. It must just be a smear on parents who want some say in what people are teaching their kids.

[@mikedawson4291]

Wait are we burning books? Or just not putting them in a public place where CHILDREN have free access to without THEIR PARENTS knowledge? You might to think about that. Smh

[@TheDiamondcutter101]

Americans are banning books by American authors about race? I'm Scottish and all we did in school was books, poems and short stories about race in America. We did so many that there was a debate in Parliament about why we're doing so much literature on race in American and not Scottish literature.

[@rneumeye]

WHAT are these books these school board Karens are reading from?🤷🏻‍♂️ I've taught middle school 15 years and have never heard anything like those books. 😐

[@bubbercakes528]

Not only do I dislike banning books, I also dislike the labeling of books as “teen” books or “adult” books. They did not have that when I was young and I’m so glad because it enabled me to read about subjects that opened my eyes to a larger world.

[@denisemayosky1955]

Heck, even as an adult, I've read books for young adults. They are oftentimes very thought-provoking pieces of literature that open your mind to what others are going through. I like 'em myself!

[@stinew358]

I have distant relatives who carefully read every dirty book to make sure their kids never went near it. I always thought they were making a kink thing out of it

[@raymondkymsuttle]

Not learning about things that actually happen in the world doesn’t protect you from them. If anything it makes the world harder to deal with.

[@HoneyBadger80886]

Really good tonight. Horrid material...but I Loved the #ActivistTeens ! Keep shining the light 🕯️

[@nedsantos1415]

If a nation needs children to tell the adults NOT to ban books and that "knowledge is power," the said nation is doomed.

[@mr.x2567]

I get it. We’re all gonna die

[@nedsantos1415]

@@mr.x2567 Yes. Miserably and excruciatingly.

[@roni6215]

Like they say , " the winners write history " . In America, the winners erase history .

[@IliyaMoroumetz]

If anything, this means that if you're seeing this, for pete's sake, run for your local school board! Go to the meetings and create a measure of reason to stem the tide of this flood of ignorance.

[@tobywilliamson5717]

Q Anons wanting to ban a book called 'The Letter Q'. Go figure.

[@MultiTomcat67]

I've always used these "Banned Book Lists" as my recommended reading list.

[@mikakestudios5891]

The fragility of these people.

[@tabbysmithfield3794]

The entitlement and outright, in your face discrimination!

[@justin0ldman233]

Leave the kids alone Libtards

[@pamelaporter4750]

@@justin0ldman233, Libtards aren't bothering kids as we want them to have access to excellent literature.

[@hayden3483]

I cant wait to go to my schools library Monday to to specifically find all these books. Also at 6:33 Ive read some Civil War books that have had several different racial slurs in them, now why dont they want to ban those? I guess because then they'd be censoring their grey coat ancestors.

[@Pappa_66]

That is so funny/sad. Put same kind of effort to prevent your children been killed in the school every week!!!

[@selalewow]

Nah, the Second Amendment over rides the First everytime.

[@Hal-Blue]

You know a lot of banned are about compassion and accepting differences and critical thinking. If they actually read more of the non-macho and segregated thought books. The shootings might go down.

[@gobbygoo3981]

Would mandatory clear see thru backpacks make any difference?

[@OurnameisLegion66]

The Karen's complaining have never read a book in their lives, never will.

[@dr.jamesolack8504]

Particularly, Mr. Ed.

[@EndeavorsDnB]

U kno the old white, southern saying… if u don’t kno bout it, than it ain’t gone never gone happen 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ Thk g-d young ppl don’t have empty skulls like their parents apparently think they do.

[@alexsmith9915]

These books should be required reading for any parent or politician that recommends banning the books.

[@DrawciaGleam02]

Agreed!

[@ericthompson3982]

And these are the people ranting about "cancel culture." I was given both volumes of Maus by my high school AP European history teacher and have had my son read it. It's an amazing book and everyone should read it.

[@kathykyle9319]

K-12 barely teaches history as it is, and if schools don’t step up soon and start teaching all of history the way it actually happened, then we will all continue to be doomed to repeat it.

[@jelatinosa]

I think that's what they want.

[@corynardin]

Wait, I thought they were all upset about being censored?

[@havable]

Nah, that's just a feint. They've always been about censoring everyone who isn't them.

[@aaronjones6123]

I am thinking it would be a great idea to get a list of these books, and to put them in lending libraries across the US. :-)

[@markelly-de1hy]

Actually, there's a list of banned books published every year. Back in the early 1990s it was about 3/4s of an inch thick, probably much thicker now! The list includes books that have been banned from anywhere in the country for any reason. Most bookstores will have a copy.

[@deelish22]

This is down-right dystopian.

[@jaymack8182]

Wait until conservatives hear about the internet!

[@MultiTomcat67]

I was lucky my High School US History (1982-83) teacher brought in extra stuff on German & Japanese WW2 atrocities to drive their evil home. This information needs to be available in lots of forms since it's starting to happen again.

[@breannap8585]

Out of curiosity, did your teacher go over the atrocities that America did during WW2 as well? Or were the lessons focused on the Axis powers and Imperial Japan? Either way, great teacher hitting important points that should never be forgotten.

[@robinleebraun7739]

All adults who want to ban a book should be required to take a test on that book. I doubt they can even read.

[@desireeespinosa3954]

Frigging Twilight was more pornographic than these books lol Interactions between a Vampire and a Human? But no one is bringing that up lol Edit: but hey, they waited until their wedding night lol

[@orionofford777]

How often in our history have the people burning books been the good guys?

[@richardtheweaver4891]

Book banners do good work. Really good, really educational, really fun books that would have sat unread, even if assigned ("Yo, Cliff, I need a report"), are going to go viral.

[@devonwood6158]

Oh man, don’t tell them about what’s on the internet, they’re gonna be really mad…

[@MiniM69]

It’s like these people are willfully ignorant and unaware that banning something actually increases interest. This is truly said. Also, read Beloved! It’s incredible.

[@blueminnie13]

I grew up in a suppressive and conservative home. As some have said in previous comments, when something was forbidden, especially without explanation, it made me very curious. My mom was so suppressed and embarrassed by sexuality she didn't even tell me I was going to get a period. Luckily, I had older friends who explained it to me. In 6th grade a priest pulled me out of class to ask me if I had a boyfriend and if I had my period. I was so embarrassed, upset, and confused I ONLY told my girlfriends. They seemed to already know this guy was a creeper.

[@-xirx-]

Pretty niche genre of music: Book Bands. I'm glad to hear more people are getting into it. x 😁

[@tkam54]

Underrated comment award nominee!

[@gobbygoo3981]

Great name for a band...Book Band

[@clearscry2530]

Samantha Bee Keeping it real for real; PREACH!!!

[@catherinefisher8534]

People need to teach their children about the world & the world didn't begin when their precious child was born 🤗

[@lacharennaborden2175]

I think the real issue here is, they don't want their children to know they're racist. They don't want their children's eyes open to their bigotry and hatred.

[@havable]

They use a long-game to turn their kids racist. They don't call it racism of course. But facts about history get in the way of the long-term brainwashing they do to their kids.

[@tiffbeevachou108]

I hope that their banning of these books backfires spectacularly!

[@cone4302]

People used to joke that purging Republicans are a legitimate form of self-defense. Sadly Its not a joke anymore :(

[@claudiacoy3294]

If they only knew that this is the language the majority of the kids use in hallways, parties, trips, pretty much everywhere. Yes, most children do. it starts around 5th grade. Usually, that child referred as "my child would never", also uses that language, whether they have or have not read a banned book.

[@faemomofdragons]

This is why I have to teach Fahrenheit 451 every year. Or one of the many reasons All the books I teach in my class are banned somewhere in the US. So we always have to discuss why this book or that book is banned, both the superficial reason and the real reason. Fahrenheit 451 also is good dissect what happens when the adults in a society lack critical thinking skills.

[@DrawciaGleam02]

Isn't the WHOLE premise of Fahrenheit 451 about the consequences of book burning/censorship??!

[@dufgirl]

Our school district just started talking about banning some books the other day. I’m so curious what she’ll say

[@bencas9288]

Like dr Seus or huck Finn

[@fugithegreat]

Ever since the pandemic began, I have been guiding a mini book club with a few tween girls, and for next week they have chosen to read Ban This Book. It's going to be such a great conversation about banned and challenged books! I can't wait.

[@sany94]

I've seen this tube with my great grandmother. When it comes to the 'burn the books' she said with tears in her eyes "that's how it started last time"

[@Gildedmuse]

Actually, Sam, if he had any sense he would DROWN the books. Every good book geek knows that water is far more damaging to books then fire; that is why Rare Library rooms aren't built with sprinkler systems. See, conservatives, if you're open to new information it can even teach you how to pointlessly destroy the things you disagree with more effectively! It's amazing what you can learn if you're open to new information!

[@o.b.7217]

Sigh...once a book is burned, it's destroyed - only ashes remain. A "drowned" book, while bloated, is still readable.

[@plaidpanda]

@@o.b.7217 Pretty sure the OP was being hyperbolic to make a point.

[@street_cheeks]

fascism is here ppl. very disturbing

[@dr.jamesolack8504]

Since Nov. 8, 2016.

[@mattcampbell1615]

All is relevant in a one sided story . Just another note to create hate . And the rest of the story is up to you.

[@street_cheeks]

@@mattcampbell1615 calling out fascism is creating hate?

[@utezahn3174]

Frightening.

[@sevenprovinces]

Why is it always the people who incorporate words like 'freedom' and 'liberty' into their slogans and fights who seem to be the most repressive of them all, and clearly have no concept of what those words mean?