Do you know who else wanted to ban books, including anti-Christian books (and books about evolution)?

/Too obvious.1

Subby's principle can be applied across the board. For example, how many times have you guys heard someone say, "Now I'm not racist, but black people get on my nerves," or something to that effect.

Generally, when people say I'm not ______, that means they are.

im not looking to get laid by a supermodel

/looks around shiftily
//damn

Touched Inappropriately By The Hand Of God: Do you know who else wanted to ban books, including anti-Christian books (and books about evolution)?

/Too obvious.1

Sarah Palin?

Actually it's more accurate to say when people say I'm not _______ BUT, that means that people are _______.

Im not drunk, but id like a beer....

There's nothing wrong with libraries keeping certain books off their shelves, and there's nothing wrong with parents complaining about books they find in school libraries they feel is inappropriate.

The only problem is when the government steps in and tries to keep certain books out of the hands of everyone everywhere. That's banning books.

Handmaids Tale is a great farkin book. I gave it to a persian friend to read once and he told me after wards that was pretty much what living in the middle east is like for women.

I thought this would be about Sarah Palin, when reading the headline. I'm disappointed it wasn't, because now I don't have a good reason to do this:

Sarah Palin is a moron, and the Republicans need to get over the fact that Neoconservative Barbie lost.

Even a Christian teenager needs to understand the world can be brutal, sexist, and anti-fundamentalist just as the world can be anything else.

He should have just said they shouldn't read it in school because the book sucks.

There are all kinds of people in the world to hate. And for me there is a never ending supply. But for some reason people that want to ban or censor books have had a special place in my hate gland. It has always been something that has struck me as profane, to say the least. I guess anytime someone wants to stifle ideas and thoughts, I get extra angry.

So to put it in terms this knuckle dragging mouth breather will understand: fark you sir. fark you right in your stupid ass.

Slightly above average: farbekrieg: im not looking to get laid by a supermodel



/So, where you wanna do this?

someplace classy like behind this porno theatre

After Edwards complained, his son was assigned another book, Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," and will step out of class during any discussions on "The Handmaid's Tale."

To be ridiculed mercilessly for the pussy he is.

/Aww, you didn't like the book so you asked your Daddy to complain
//"Brave New World"? I guess promiscuity is okay in Daddy's book, then. After all, it's every citizen's duty.

You house proud town mouse.

Fuggin Bizzy: There's nothing wrong with libraries keeping certain books off their shelves, and there's nothing wrong with parents complaining about books they find in school libraries they feel is inappropriate.

The only problem is when the government steps in and tries to keep certain books out of the hands of everyone everywhere. That's banning books.

Libraries keeping books off the shelf is censorship. Parents complaining about books on the shelf is censorship. Governments keeping books off the shelf is censorship.

You let it creep in once, on ANY level, and it runs rampant.

Gosh, a fundamentalist doesn't like an anti-fundamentalist book. I didn't see that one coming.

Actually, I think the guy has a point.

In this age of 'zero tolerance' school policies, you can get suspended for having a list of students, for drawing a gun with a crayon, or for pulling back your thumb while extending your index finger and going 'bang bang'. You can also be suspended for having a skirt that is an inch too short, for having the wrong writing on a shirt, or a whole bunch of other regulations. Also if you 'offend' anybody by saying anything remotely racist, sexist or pro/anti religion.

Why should the English classes force kids to read things that they can't say outside of class? Why should art classes show things that can't be shown in the hallway? Don't even get me started on health classes.

I suspect that's the point the guy was trying to make, and I'd probably make the same point if I wanted to stir things.

I'm not looking to be a troll, but I think banning books is a great idea.

Mr_Master2: Subby's principle can be applied across the board. For example, how many times have you guys heard someone say, "Now I'm not racist, but black people get on my nerves,"

I'm not racist, but black people get on my nerves.

Ohh no you did'nt

Ohh yes I did.

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: I thought this would be about Sarah Palin, when reading the headline. I'm disappointed it wasn't, because now I don't have a good reason to do this:

Sarah Palin is a moron, and the Republicans need to get over the fact that Neoconservative Barbie lost.

oh fark the fark off. it's two thousand and NINE. That's more than two months past the date I needed to hear any of your shiat about that woman.

FTFA: After Edwards complained, his son was assigned another book, Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," and will step out of class during any discussions on "The Handmaid's Tale."

LOL. Half that book is centered around sensory porno and the main female character sleeping(or trying to at least) with half the male characters in the book.

Fuggin Bizzy: There's nothing wrong with libraries keeping certain books off their shelves, and there's nothing wrong with parents complaining about books they find in school libraries they feel is inappropriate.

The only problem is when the government steps in and tries to keep certain books out of the hands of everyone everywhere. That's banning books.

I can see your point and agree to it to a certain extent. But Bradbury made the very chilling point in Fahrenheit 451 that books were first limited due to public indifference and apathy. It was then that the government stepped in and started burning them.

TheGreatGazoo: Actually, I think the guy has a point.

In this age of 'zero tolerance' school policies, you can get suspended for having a list of students, for drawing a gun with a crayon, or for pulling back your thumb while extending your index finger and going 'bang bang'. You can also be suspended for having a skirt that is an inch too short, for having the wrong writing on a shirt, or a whole bunch of other regulations. Also if you 'offend' anybody by saying anything remotely racist, sexist or pro/anti religion.

Why should the English classes force kids to read things that they can't say outside of class? Why should art classes show things that can't be shown in the hallway? Don't even get me started on health classes.

So they can question the oppression and censorship forced on them by the school and its draconian rules. So they can think.

FTA A Toronto parent says if students repeated some of the words from Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" in the school halls, they'd be suspended, so he questions why it is OK in the classroom.

I hate to say it but he has a point. Asinine "anti-discrimination" policies and one strike rules have created such an environment in certain schools and campuses that just discussing a book that may be in the library could get you kicked out.

/the guy is still a pussy
//common sense is dead

A Toronto parent says if students repeated some of the words from Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" in the school halls, they'd be suspended, so he questions why it is OK in the classroom.

That's an easy one, don't suspend students for "saying the wrong thing"

Fuggin Bizzy: There's nothing wrong with libraries keeping certain books off their shelves, and there's nothing wrong with parents complaining about books they find in school libraries they feel is inappropriate.

The only problem is when the government steps in and tries to keep certain books out of the hands of everyone everywhere. That's banning books.

Except that most libraries are government entities therefore if a library bans a book the government is banning a book, albeit in a small way.

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: I thought this would be about Sarah Palin, when reading the headline. I'm disappointed it wasn't, because now I don't have a good reason to do this:

Sarah Palin is a moron, and the Republicans need to get over the fact that Neoconservative Barbie lost.

It's funny you mention her, because if she had her way, "The Handmaid's Tale" would probably be up her alley...

/maybe
//dunno
///discuss!

How many people in the district don't object to the book being there? What percentage of viewers didn't object to Janet Jackson's minor league anatomical part being broadcast? That sort of thing is never reported.

Robert Edwards, who launched a formal complaint about the Canadian novel, says the foul language, anti-Christian overtones

It could be argued that helping young adults rid themselves of a Mind Virus would be a positive thing...

After Edwards complained, his son was assigned another book, Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," and will step out of class during any discussions on "The Handmaid's Tale."

Just wait 'til daddy figures out the words in Huxley...

Fuggin Bizzy: There's nothing wrong with libraries keeping certain books off their shelves, and there's nothing wrong with parents complaining about books they find in school libraries they feel is inappropriate.

The only problem is when the government steps in and tries to keep certain books out of the hands of everyone everywhere. That's banning books.


Public libraries receive public funding and are therefore agents of the government. Schools too.

HTH

Juniper Jupiter: It's funny you mention her, because if she had her way, "The Handmaid's Tale" would probably be up her alley...

Well, of course I've read The Handmaid's Tale. I've read all of them, in fact!

I think a fair conclusion has already been reached, and this shouldn't go any further. He has every right to decide if HIS kid should read a particular book in class, and the school has given his kid an alternative already. But I'll be damned if he should have a say over what OTHER kids should be taught, which is what he's now going after.

You know that kid is so embarrassed by his asshat dad...

I think the average senior in high school kid is smart enough to understand context. They can understand that an author might use certain words in order to create an effect and also understand those words aren't acceptable to use in the hallways. They can understand an author might tell a story about someone that is sexually active without thinking the author is condoning irresponsible sexual behavior. To think that a senior in high school is incapable of making these distinctions is to be a patronizing as President Bush when he says that saying "don't have sex, but if you do, wear a condom" is "too confusing" so we should just leave off the wear a condom part.

Fuggin Bizzy: There's nothing wrong with libraries keeping certain books off their shelves, and there's nothing wrong with parents complaining about books they find in school libraries they feel is inappropriate.

The only problem is when the government steps in and tries to keep certain books out of the hands of everyone everywhere. That's banning books.

So... when the fundies or other misguided parties go stomping through a community trying to prevent others from reading what they please, it's all honky-dory and okay, even though it isn't technically banning a book?

I see.

/Not trolling, just trying to get your meaning clear.

"The Handmaid's Tale" is ridiculous piece of left-wing anti-religious propaganda. When the movie came out, loads of left/liberal propagandists solemnly stated out it was a frightening strong probability / likelihood that this was where the evil conservatives were taking the country.

Meanwhile, in the real world since then homosexuality has become much more open and accepted, women have become the socially dominant gender, illegitimate births went up, abortion has remained legal, etc. Basically, the exact oppposite of the story occurred.

Man On Pink Corner: Juniper Jupiter: It's funny you mention her, because if she had her way, "The Handmaid's Tale" would probably be up her alley...



Well, of course I've read The Handmaid's Tale. I've read all of them, in fact!

Well, you know, all of them, most of them, whatever's in front of me at the time...

Ninja Wicked DNRTFA

/obviously

MightyPez: There are all kinds of people in the world to hate. And for me there is a never ending supply. But for some reason people that want to ban or censor books have had a special place in my hate gland. It has always been something that has struck me as profane, to say the least. I guess anytime someone wants to stifle ideas and thoughts, I get extra angry.

Oh I agree so very very much.

NO MORE PALIN TALK.

Whether you hate her or love her, whether you're liberal or conservative, whether you're furious or delighted at the outcome of the election, for the love of god, SHUT UP ALREADY. She did not win; she has had her 15 minutes; please, people, LET IT FARKING GO.

Regarding the actual article which had NOTHING TO DO with Palin, we could find reasons to ban just about any book with merit. Say this guy does have a point and Handmaid's Tale is no longer assigned, what's next? There's no decent book safe from judgement.

The fact is, the real world isn't pretty. It's not an episode of the Hills. And in these times when the children are so shielded from reality and everything's gone so PC that we need these books the most. How else are they going to learn what their parents are too afraid to teach them?

Allornone: NO MORE PALIN TALK.

This dude is trying to censor your speech!

Edgar_Allan_Poe's_Daughter

So... when the fundies or other misguided parties go stomping through a community trying to prevent others from reading what they please, it's all honky-dory and okay, even though it isn't technically banning a book?

I see.

/Not trolling, just trying to get your meaning clear.

Well, you are setting up a strawman argument; he's not trying to stop individuals from reading anything, he's objecting to the government-run schools system from using his and others tax dollars from mandating a book which is bashing his religion. It's a reasonable objection; and certainly I don't see the school systems requiring books that insult atheism, or any other preferred left/liberal constituency group for that matter.

This is another illustration of why school vouchers are a good thing; that would be true public education since the people would actually have a choice.

Wait, in Brave New World, everyone is encouraged to consume a hallucinogenic drug. So dropping LSD is okay in this schools halls?

Cool.

Schmea: He has every right to decide if HIS kid should read a particular book in class.

I disagree. If a parent has a problem, with, for instance, evolution, or the basic rules of modern mathematics, should his kid be excused from studying those as well? Should the school be forced to teach creationism or ancient mathmatics instead?

Develop a standard, teach that standard. If the majority of parents disagree, they can always elect a new school board or government.

"If you look at the board's policies, it goes to these great lengths to talk about respect and not using profane language, and in fact so do the policies at Lawrence Park Collegiate," where Edwards' 17-year-old son was studying the book in his Grade 12 English class.

"The board is adamant about those policies, but then puts books like this in places."

So if we go by this logic then students shouldn't read "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" because Huck ditches school and smokes tobacco which is against most school policies. They should not read "Romeo and Juliet" because the young people in them have sharp weapons which is against most school policies. In "1984" Winston drinks Victory vodka and cigarettes, and both alcohol and tobacco are against school rules. My god, in "Of Mice and Men" someone is shot in the back of the head which is surely against all schools' rules. Shakespeare needs to be outright banned - Hamlet has premarital sex, Macbeth stabs his boss, Brutus stabs his friend, Romeo bangs a twelve year old, Othello smothers his wife - all of these are obviously against school rules. If the school rules say that students can't do it, then, damn it, neither should fictional characters in fictional books. Fair is fair.

Fuggin Bizzy: There's nothing wrong with libraries keeping certain books off their shelves, and there's nothing wrong with parents complaining about books they find in school libraries they feel is inappropriate.

The only problem is when the government steps in and tries to keep certain books out of the hands of everyone everywhere. That's banning books.

Actually, I have a HUGE problem with libraries (that is, those supported by taxpayer money in some capacity) keeping certain books off their shelves. I have a problem with school libraries taking books off their shelves because of some parental complaints (though the parents can complain all they like, that's their right).

I have no problem with parents restricting what their kids read; it's when they want to restrict what others, including others' kids, read that I get pretty pissed.

Allornone: NO MORE PALIN TALK.

Hey, have you heard that she can see Russia from her house?

/lighten up man... have a smoke, maybe a beer?