Who is Banning Books?

Graff, H. J. (2023). Book Banning and Education Restrictions: Our Moment of Rising

    Resistance. Against the Current, 38(3), 8–10.

In the article, Our Moment of Rising Resistance, by Harvey J. Graff, the author comments on book banning. His argument is divided into two main categories: Who fears books? And Who is responding to these movements of book bans? The people he feels frear books are those on the far right of politics. Graff mentions some big organizations leading the fight to ban books: Heritage Foundation, the Koch Brothers, and Moms for Liberty. But what is their fear? Do they fear people being empathetic for others who do not share the same creeds? Or are they scared that by learning about racism and hate crimes, their children will want to be like that? Many different theories about this topic are floating around. The people and organizations that are leading this banning fight have gone to school boards and city hall to make sure that people in charge are aware of how “wrong” they are for having a book that shows an LGBTQIA+ individual in a positive light. Unfortunately, some school boards and city halls have caved into the pressure. 

Those that are standing up to these bans are gaining numbers. Graff discusses how young people take up the shield and prepare for battle. They understand the reasoning for why it is essential that these materials stay available to everyone. Unfortunately, the books in question are predominantly authors who are Black and LGBTQIA+, and storylines that paint LGBTQIA+ people in a positive light. Graff discusses a father of two teen children and how he wants his children to learn about racism and other sensitive topics through school; it would be helpful.

Graff makes a powerful argument against those banning books. I agree with him. I cannot wrap my head around why anyone would not want their child to learn about the truth. There IS something called racism; there are people that are other religions than you that are wonderful people, and why would you hate someone for who they love? Just my two cents.