Fight the Banning of Books!!!!!!!!!!!

Ars gratia artis!

I note with sorrow the diktat offered by some of the thought Gestapo supporting the banning of certain books and no doubt other forms of art as well. As far as I can discern, the operable thesis seems to be that if certain works of art contain images, words, music that discommode certain groups of people, such works must be banned outright.

In this thesis these thought police channel the philosophy of their predecessors, the Nazi SS and Gestapo who firmly believed that they knew best what passed for acceptable art and what was “degenerate.” In fact the Nazis went so far as to curate and display works of degenerate art in Berlin in the firm belief that German citizens would be certain to express sufficient outrage. Unfortunately for the thought deniers, the degenerate art exhibition proved to be a huge hit, drawing far more spectators than the exhibition of acceptable Nazi art next door.

Art is created by humans, people who are racist, biased, prejudiced, selfish, arrogant, products of their time and culture, and the beat goes on. The point is that all creations of humanity reflect our own biases; there is no escape from that fact. Works of art exist on a scale of overwhelming righteousness (viz Beethoven's Ninth Symphony) to blatant, low brow tendentiousness (utterances of the thought gestapo).

But that's just the point. Art, including literature, exists to challenge us, to make us think, to make us reflect and examine our lives, our prejudices, ourselves. Banning art, banning literature, based on the collective decisions of a few “enlightened” gauleiters, does nothing more than negatively reflect the biases of that elitist group. Worse, it is an act of extreme arrogance, as this group substitutes its judgment for mine, deeming me incapable of judging a work of art for its merits and blemishes.

So keep your Luddite views to yourself, and if a work of art offends thee, ignore it and return to the safety of Mein Kampf.

By the way, there is one book that has been around for along time which the modern Gestapo have not yet outlawed. The book is sexist, racist, homophobic, prejudiced in so many other ways, hidebound in its culture, full of specieism and downright violent. It certainly is prejudiced against atheists. Parts of it are rather anti-Semitic, to boot. The book is of course the Bible.

If you thought Gestapo wish to ban a book that must be making a lot of people uncomfortable, rather than bully Dr. Seuss or poor Mr. Potato Head, why don't you show some courage and call for the outlawing of the Bible? I assure you there will be many voluntary enlistments in the army that will rise up to combat your overweening prideful acts, mine included.

Let me leave you with two thoughts, from people whom I trust you have not yet banned:

Viscount Morley:” You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.”

Unknown:” Die gedanken sind frei.” Your thoughts are free. Sung by Jews in Nazi concentration camps to their guards as a paean to freedom and humanity, as I sing it now to you.