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Old 08-12-2011, 04:35 PM   #26
Jozawun
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First, it wasn't censored because it was historically inaccurate. We can put that canard to bed; it WAS historically accurate (allowing for literary exaggeration).

Second, it was removed after a complaint that it was "offensive to Mormons"; if it was removed for that reason, then that would be thoroughly obnoxious. All we owe the dead is the truth, and it is simply ludicrous to censor the truth because it hurts someone's feelings (be they religious, political or whatever). It would open the door to censoring almost any serious work of literature, science or opinion.

Thirdly, the claimed reason for removing the book from the list was that it was age-inappropriate. This, of course, raises a whole set of different questions, the answers to which will depend on an individual's own moral preconceptions. But really, it boils down to the fact that by this age, intelligent kids will see the book for what it is, stupid kids won't, and the in-betweens should be helped with notes on the reading guide. After all, I assume that the reading guide is meant to be part of an educational process.
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