[PKFFW]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

And I'll repeat my point. Waiting until a book has been removed from a library before calling attention to it means it's too late to do anything about it. What would be the point?

Sorry for not being clear. I've got no problem with the ALA calling attention to a book that has been challenged. Though I do think the way they talk of banned books is a little dishonest and misleading.

What I'm wondering is why so many in this thread seem to be suggesting that because the book has been challenged this indicates the thought police are now going to crack down on everything we read.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Why are you assuming lone crackpots? It could just as likely be a concerted effort to have a book removed that was thwarted by the ALA calling attention to the "challenge," couldn't it? Most complaints don't even make it to the formal challenge stage.

I never assumed lone crackpots. My wording was "some crackpots" but that is beside the point really.

Firstly, I'm pretty sure if the majority of the community challenged the book the book would be banned. Ergo, I would think it a safe assumption that it is not a majority. Secondly, if any of the challenges were found to be reasonable and the book deemed to contravene established censorship rules I'm sure the book would be banned. Ergo, I think it a safe assumption the challenges were deemed not to be reasonable and the use of "some crackpots" would be at least arguably justifiable.

Originally Posted by Diapdealer

I'm not worried at all about the government. I'm worried about local groups of douchebag citizens feeling threatened by a children's picture book.

All I'd say is it's probably not worth your time to worry about every little thing that people feel threatened by. There will always be things people feel threatened by. Seems the system is working in this case in that the book has not been banned so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.