Larry Sent me the following post for discussion on my forum at Woody's World, I
wanted to share it in my Blog:
Monaca high school may ban “The Chocolate War” because a small group of parents set on getting their way think the book’s language is inappropriate, it depicts Catholicism in a bad light, and the sexually suggestive parts, especially about masturbation, aren’t appropriate for 14 or 15 year olds. Hello! 14 and 15 year olds swear and masturbate. As do many older folks, possibly the ones challenging this book and or writing on this forum. I wasn’t going to admit that, but what the hell. I dare disturb the universe – which is really the main theme of the book and the quote on the poster in Jerry’s locker (Jerry being the protagonist and the quote being from my favorite poem) It tells me instead of caving into the pressure of a small group of self proclaimed leaders, I should go against the grain. And that’s what the book is about. Anyway, as a Catholic, a swearer and a masturbator, I am not offended by Robert Cormier’s depictions of any of them. And reading the book did not make me swear more, masturbate more or go to church less. (I already do the third in appropriate proportion to balance the first two.)If you want to ban a book, go after that one with the prostitutes, the swearing, the violence, the graphic depictions of torture, the incest, the rape, and the end of the world. That’s right … ban the Bible. Whoops. It’s already banned in schools. Not because of anything on the above list, but instead it breaks that all mighty societal taboo … mentioning God!Ah, the public school system, bullied by small groups of individuals set on getting their way since Huck ran away with Nigger Jim. No wonder they don’t want this book to be read. Can you smell fear?Can you smell irony? Can you smell a book burning? PeaceLarry
Here was my response to Larry's Post:
It was a pleasure to burn," started Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. And, Larry might be right, that could be where we are headed.
There's an increasing library of dangerously free-thinking books that too closely resemble a reality that so many are trying to re-write to deny it ever existed.
The fact that people use the N-word, masturbate, engage in sexual relations or have a religious belief should not be documented for fear that some teenager, that has been so well programmed by our media, might find out that it was once OK to wish somebody a "Merry Christmas."
Whether you are from the left or the right, this type of thought management should be a frightening proposition. This specific case, with The Chocolate War, is somewhat unique in that it contains elements that would offend both the right and the left. The right could take issue with the lewd substance dealing with sex, masturbation and offensive depiction of religion. Then on the left, you could take issue with the fact that the book even deals with religion--not to mention putting the ideas of sex into the minds of 13-14 year olds--isn't that what MTV is for?
But the funniest part of this issue is that this is a book that has been on the shelves of Monaca Library for 26 years! Suddenly, it is a threat. This sudden, striking danger was there when I went to school at Monaca. Yet, somehow, I graduated without swearing any more--I dare say even less--than others. And, I can't begin to discuss the lack of impact or ability it had to incite my love life without profoundly embarassing myself.
Has Robert Cromier added new, dangerous chapters to this book that I don't know about? Has he multiplied or modified the 171 swear words in the book to catch up with the modern potty mouth? Nah! Just like with most things, it seems Monaca is grossly behind the times and misguided.
I, like 99.9 percent of the Monaca school district used the library to get out of study hall and read magazines. Those that were intelligent enough to actually go to the library to recreationally read books, were likely intelligent enough to not be swayed into masturbating because of a book that mentioned a scene about masturbation. The rest of us just checked out books we needed to do reports, or if you needed a cheap thrill, check out National Geographic for a set of tribal boobies or something. Even beyond that, any time you actually needed a book of any quality, you knew you would have to go to Penn State Beaver because Monaca rarely had it.
So, I find this effort by Monaca absolutely misguided on a number of levels. Maybe the true evil of The Chocolate War is that the school district is afraid that the book might insight somebody to refuse to participate in one of the district's weekly fundraising activities. Now there's a real danger!!!
