Censorship

Teaching a book for my graduate young adult literature class, PLACES I NEVER MEANT TO BE, edited by Judy Blume. The book includes a series of stories for teens, all of which had been censored. Judy Blume's wonderful introduction sends a powerful message during this Trump presidency, that you can not allow censorship a place in the world, since that means the end of the voice of discontentment. It seems like the presidency is now very keen on censorship. Just last week Stephen Bannon told the media to "shut up with their false news." The media is facing daily assault. and Trump's team has coined a new phrase, "alt facts." Call them what you want, that means Trump and his team are prepared to lie. As Judy Blume says,"In the age of censorship, I mourn the loss of books that will never be written. I mourn the voices that will be silenced-writers' voices, teachers' voices-and all because of fear.

The bottom line is, censorship happens, often when you least expect it. It's not just about the book you want to read, but about the book your classmate may want to read. What can you do if censorship hits close to home? The first step is awareness. Become informed. Take a stand.  Do not let him win, people. SAY WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. Do not be silenced!