Fight Evil. Read Books.

Happy Banned Books Week everyone! Didn't know it was Banned Books Week? Yeah, well I kinda forgot too. But as karma or divine providence or whatever would have it, I was made to remember. Turns out my dedication to intellectual freedom was challenged more than once this week. Which, of course, got me to thinking about what it means to be against censorship and for intellectual freedom.

Here is the thing. I believe that a library has the responsibility to carry a wide variety of materials on a wide range of topics, including (and possibly especially) topics that are controversial. That doesn't mean that I support every issue that these books may cover. For example, do I think that teenagers should have copious amounts of sex with multiple partners while partaking in a variety of drugs and drinking alcohol? Ummmm...heck no. Do I think that teenagers should have the option of reading books about other teenagers having copious amounts of sex with multiple partners while partaking in a variety of drugs and drinking alcohol? Without question.

What is the difference? The difference is knowledge. When you read about a subject, whether it be a fictional or nonfictional account, you gain knowledge. And I don't care what anyone else says, knowledge is always good. Knowledge allows us to make informed decisions and come to a greater understanding of the world around us. As far as I'm concerned, that is one of the most important tasks we are given in this life.

Look at it this way: the opposite of knowledge is ignorance. Ignorance is what leads to hate, violence, and other manifestations of evil. Therefore reading books really does fight evil. And in order to be fully prepared for battle, we must have a full arsenal at hand. That book that "they" don't want us to have on our shelves? It might just be the one that wins us the war.