[HPforGrownups] Re: Book Banning

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 8123

Penny wrote, in response to Caius:

<<<While I see the distinction you're trying to make CMC, I'm not sure
you're using the word "censorship" entirely appropriately.  According to
my dictionary, censorship is the act or process of censoring.
"Censoring" is to examine and expurgate.  "Expurgate" is to cleanse or
purge.  "Purge" is, among other things, to "remove."  There's nothing in
any of these definitions to square entirely with your notion that
censorship is only in play if it applies to a wide segment of a
population or carries extreme penalties for violation.  In other words,
isn't it still "censorship" if a religious group is successful in having
the HP books (as an example) removed from a small local library that
serves a community of say 200 people?  >>>

I would say that whilst censorship might be implemented by an authoritative
body in relation to a specific 'congregation,' it is often, as Penny
suggests, not difficult to circumvent and certainly wouldn't apply to the
population at large.  Censorship suggests the alteration of the content
('expurgating' as indicated above) or the classification of the whole work
for suitability ('examining' as above).  I guess that in a school library
books regarded as having unsuitable adult content might be censored in the
latter sense and removed from the shelves.  However, if that applied only in
one library it would be a fairly toothless form of censorship.

A ban, on the other hand, usually suggests the outlawing of something at the
legislative level, with the attendant penalties.  Even then, as with the
prohibition of alcohol, it doesn't prevent people from access, it merely
drives it underground and keeps black market traders in the lap of luxury.
Thinking back to CMC's original post, I think it would be wrong to assume
that extremists of whatever type could not change the law simply because
they are a minority group; they can influence public opinion and, if they
gain power, ignore the majority.

IMO, the issue with religious opposition to the Harry Potter books (or any
books for that matter) is whether that opposition could be interpreted as a
reasonable move to protect those holding similar beliefs or as an attempt to
dictate to the population at large.  If it's the latter, I'd say it's
unacceptable; if it's the former, I'd probably *think* it's unacceptable,
but be more inclined to keep my nose out.

Neil
_____________________________________

Flying-Ford-Anglia

"Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing
mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost
as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his
four-poster."

[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]