GOING AFTER FAHRENHEIT 451

From KTRK TV courtesy Crooks and Liars:

Parent files complaint about
book assigned as student reading

Two weeks ago at Caney Creek High School, a tenth grade English class was given "Fahrenheit 451" as a reading assignment. But Diana Verm stopped after a few pages. She said she was offended by "the cussing in it and the burning of the Bible."

Diana complained to her father. She was given an alternate reading assignment, but her dad is pushing the issue. It is ironic in the truest sense that a fictional book on book banning is now the target of a request to remove it from school curriculum.

"With God's name in vain being in there, that's the number one reason," said Diana's father Alton Verm. "There's no reason for it being read."

The school has appointed a committee to review Verm's objections. But students are now circulating a petition in support of the book. They plan to wear t-shirts on Friday voicing their opinions.

Click here for the rest.

Okay, I don't think there's any danger of this book actually being banned, but I think this story is important to note if only to observe how utterly stupid these fundamentalist types can be. It's also a pretty sad testament to how our public schools, far more concerned with instilling the great American values of obedience and authority, are apparently unable to instill the importance free speech within our democracy to their students. I mean, yeah, most people probably have some kind of notion in their heads that free speech is important, but when push comes to shove, the concept is meaningless to vast sectors of our population.

Come on: how could anyone want to ban a book about how horrible book banning is? I suppose it's easy to people who absolutely reject the Enlightenment principles upon which our country was founded. Sadly, there seem to be more and more of these idiots coming out of the woodwork every day. As usual, I'm afraid for America's future.

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