Stephen King Quote Regarding Banned Books

[weegee1969]

Hi. I'm doing a paper about banned books and am trying to remember the terrific quote from Stephen. It's from quite a while back--does anyone remember it?

Thanks!

[vivazebool]

It's something along the lines of this: "If a book is banned, go find that book and read it because that is what you should be reading."

I don't necessarily agree with that. Should we read Mein Kampf? Should we read The Communist Manifesto? (I know these books are not banned today, but you get the idea.)There's a lot of mental poison in those books.

[AngelZ]

I completely agree with S.K. Books shouldn't be banned. An adult should be able to read all books. Let the individual decide afterwards if he agrees or disagrees. I'm currently reading a book by Che Guevera. I don't agree with his philosophies, but I'm reading it as part of my personal education. You can't let something poison unless you let it. Children, are a different issue.

[vivazebool]

i don't agree with banning either. But just because something is banned, doesn't mean it should be read, that it will benefit the reader. Banning isn't a blanket qualifier for controversial literature.

I read lots of books by people whose ideas I don't agree with for the sake of educating myself about their ideas...to know what's out there. Mr. King happens to be one of them. Great writer, great storyteller, but I reject a lot of the underlying philosophies of his books.

[PatInTheHat]

It's something along the lines of this: "If a book is banned, go find that book and read it because that is what you should be reading."

I don't necessarily agree with that. Should we read Mein Kampf? Should we read The Communist Manifesto? (I know these books are not banned today, but you get the idea.)There's a lot of mental poison in those books.

They're only poisousness if your looking to be poisoned.
You'll find whatever it is you need, to make whatever it is that makes you tick, in whatever it is you want to find it in.

Let's take the dictionary for example, why it plumb turned me into a bra burning radical.......man boobs:blush:....Damn You Oxford!!!
(Oh my word, don't be gettin' me goin' on all that hippy propaganda in them there Funk & Wagnall's and *gulp* The Mother Earth News...did you know, they have...information, yeah, I know:glare:!).


Yes, you should read books like these if you want to understand...well, that's it, just understand:wink2::smile2:.

[Dana]

I completely agree with S.K. Books shouldn't be banned. An adult should be able to read all books. Let the individual decide afterwards if he agrees or disagrees. I'm currently reading a book by Che Guevera. I don't agree with his philosophies, but I'm reading it as part of my personal education. You can't let something poison unless you let it. Children, are a different issue.

I agree. There are some things I won't let my children read(not yet, anyway) but then again there are things I have let them read that their teachers didn't necessarily agree with either.

[Gard-ole-Gard]

I completely agree with S.K. Books shouldn't be banned. An adult should be able to read all books. Let the individual decide afterwards if he agrees or disagrees. I'm currently reading a book by Che Guevera. I don't agree with his philosophies, but I'm reading it as part of my personal education. You can't let something poison unless you let it. Children, are a different issue.

Which one are you reading? I loved The Motorcycle Diaries and Our America and Theirs. I agree that books should not be banned. vivazeebool, I understand your point but where do we draw the line and who makes the decision? In my opinion, the reader should.

[Ubasti]

I agree Gard-ole-Gard. I think it should be purely the reader's decision what they should and should not read. We can all pick up a book, read the synopsis and generall be able to tell if it will be offensive to us or not. I recently had a book recommended to me by a bookseller who sold me on it because of it's huge gore-factor (he might have not put quite enough empasis on that :belch:). The synopsis left out some vital details that might have prevented me from buying the book, but all in all I don't regret reading it. In the case of children I think it should be up to the parents if they want their child exposed to certain themes and ideas ... not the school, government or community.

Sure there are a lot of bad books out there, but I think that there's something to learn from all of them. Anything from history to religion and tolerance to science can be within the pages of a book. To ban a book is, in some way, to possibly prevent someone from gaining knowledge in an area that they'd otherwise have no exposure to.

[Nero]

motorcycle diaries, great. I havent read anything else.

I also intend to read Mein Kampf just to know. Don't see anything wrong with reading it. Understanding why other people think the way they do is essential to effectively argue against it. Though, I will likely skip the communist manifesto.

[AngelZ]

Which one are you reading? I loved The Motorcycle Diaries and Our America and Theirs. I agree that books should not be banned. vivazeebool, I understand your point but where do we draw the line and who makes the decision? In my opinion, the reader should.

Yes, that's the one. I just started it so I can't discuss it very much. How did you find the book?

[CorbinKale]

They're only poisousness if your looking to be poisoned.
You'll find whatever it is you need, to make whatever it is that makes you tick, in whatever it is you want to find it in.

Let's take the dictionary for example, why it plumb turned me into a bra burning radical.......man boobs:blush:....Damn You Oxford!!!
(Oh my word, don't be gettin' me goin' on all that hippy propaganda in them there Funk & Wagnall's and *gulp* The Mother Earth News...did you know, they have...information, yeah, I know:glare:!).


Yes, you should read books like these if you want to understand...well, that's it, just understand:wink2::smile2:.

Agreed. No book, or any other inanimate object, is 'bad'. It is only the misuse of them by people that can be evil.

[Sweet One]

Should we read Mein Kampf? Should we read The Communist Manifesto? (I know these books are not banned today, but you get the idea.)There's a lot of mental poison in those books.


I read an anti-censorship article once that opined that "Even Mein Komph is useful in some instances. It gives us insight into the mind of a very twisted individual"
I agree, becuase reading Mein Komph in the proper context will allow us to see what sort of thinking and worldview to avoid.

Some of my literture classes avoid reading books by authors like Kipling, because of Kipling's pre-colonialism. This is not right in my opinion, because it not only prevents students form learning about Kipling's better works, it prevents discussion of colonialism itself, and why Kipling was blind to its evils.

The purpose of political correctness--which is pretty much what this is--is avoid offending, not meaningful discussion or presentation of truth. Simply avoiding offense is not always for the best.

[SKfan2006]

i agree that the reader and the parents should be able to decide what to read. for children they can start reading more grown up stuff when they hit puberty. the one thing i find funny though is that the majority of banned books are actually good reads. Terabithia for example i read it to see what the movie would be like and the only bad thing i found was the death of Leslie and it was off-screen. it also featured religion but only for 1 little chapter.

[tempest]

BANNED BOOKS WEEK September 27 - October 4, 2008 http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.cfm
Read books that make you think, advance, and provide adventure:biggrin2:

[lorelei_lou]

It's something along the lines of this: "If a book is banned, go find that book and read it because that is what you should be reading."

I don't necessarily agree with that. Should we read Mein Kampf? Should we read The Communist Manifesto? (I know these books are not banned today, but you get the idea.)There's a lot of mental poison in those books.


Reading parts of Mein Kampf (I never did the whole thing, I admit) helped me to understand how Hitler was able to 'seduce' people to his way of thinking. Also I noticed parallels with some of what he said then and what some politicians say now. It made it easier to make sense of how it all happened...

I don't agree with any books being banned.

[Agincourt Concierge]

Books are banned because people in authority don't want any "free thinkers".
Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 still holds true today.

[HELLTEXter]

Hi everyone!

To return to weegee's original question: The quote you were probably thinking about is from "Banned Books and Other Concerns - The Virginia Beach Lecture", held in the Virginia Beach Public Library on September 22, 1986. The last few sentences from that speech are:

"I would just say to you as students who are supposed to be learning, that as soon as that book is gone from the library, do not walk -- run to your nearest public library or bookseller and find out what your elders don't want you to know, because that's what you need to know!
Don't let them bullshit you and don't let them guide your mind, because once it starts, it never stops. Some of our most famous leaders have been book-banners, like Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin."

I hope that helps. If you need further help with your paper, visit me on king-search.de.

Best wishes,
Dirk.

[pepino]

It's something along the lines of this: "If a book is banned, go find that book and read it because that is what you should be reading."

I don't necessarily agree with that. Should we read Mein Kampf? Should we read The Communist Manifesto? (I know these books are not banned today, but you get the idea.)There's a lot of mental poison in those books.

I tried reading Mein Kampf and it's just downright boring. I've had the book for years and can't seem to get through it.

[vivazebool]

do not walk -- run to your nearest public library or bookseller and find out what your elders don't want you to know, because that's what you need to know -Stephen King

Personally, I wouldn't be in a hurry to read what has been banned. A lot of stuff that is controversial turns out to be just a bunch of useless dribble that rigid people make too big of a deal about. I end up going, "That's it? What was the big deal about that? There was nothing in here that I needed to know, and if I did get anything out of it...well, I could have guessed without reading the book."

[SKfan2006]

well syou do need to realize not all banned books are knowledge books but story books like harry potter. it's considered a banned book and it's just a story not knowledge.

[mefistofeles]

Death to banned book, for an example Mein Kampf, if we ban it we can not learn from it? we have to learn from our history or we are doomed to repeat it. Just because i actually have read Mein Kampf it doesnt make me a nazi, Hitler had some good points in the book "not the race-questions" even tho most of it was pure thoughts of a crazy man.

Who needs horror in fiction anyway? just take a look at the news thats 10 times worse then any novel or movie.

But i must say i respect King's statement about his own "banned" book Rage. If he thinks it might inspire new high school shootings we should all respect that.

However i do not think that a book someone has read, or movie someone has seen, or music for that matter creates a killer, they will most likely end up at that road anyway, but it might add up new ideas.

Pretty much like the lyrics from alice coopers song "Wicked young man"
http://www.metrolyrics.com/wicked-young-man-lyrics-alice-cooper.html

But luckily most banned works has been re-released now and hopefully we can get a better insight in those books/movies. It's better to learn from em, and get your own opinion about it.

[SKfan2006]

Who needs horror in fiction anyway? just take a look at the news thats 10 times worse then any novel or movie.


you know whats funny about that comment. my dad hates horror films and yet isn't horrified by real life stuff and he's on the road all the time.

[shangirl]

It's something along the lines of this: "If a book is banned, go find that book and read it because that is what you should be reading."

I don't necessarily agree with that. Should we read Mein Kampf? Should we read The Communist Manifesto? (I know these books are not banned today, but you get the idea.)There's a lot of mental poison in those books.

ABSOLUTELY you should read those things. They are a HUGE part of our world history. Just because you read something doesn't mean you practice what it preaches... And reading something can no more corrupt your mind than the "evil Rock and roll music" did to people... I have read the Necronomocon and yet somehow I have restrained myself from trying to summon demons:eyebrow:

[pagantallie]

Ban Shman!!
Take the Sex Pistols, for example...They (the establishment) banned 'God Save The Queen' from entering the pop charts in the UK in the late nineteen seventies. Because of this ban, the sex pistols enjoyed glorious popularity,the track itself (though never officially) made it to number one, it sold thousands and it made you want to buy the track more - it made you tell your friends....this has happened many times in music, literature and film..a clockwork orange, the exorcist, evil dead, last house on the left...need i say more?

Banning things only makes them more exciting, entriguing and attractive.

[worddance]

Completely agree that books like Mein Kampf and the Communist Manifesto must be read. In a free society, you can't just take people's word that they're bad, you must be allowed to know for yourself.


Mary

[Daeva]

Yarr. But Mein Kampf is a bit dull in my opinion. Has a lot of words.
And a lot of philosophy. Extra emphasis on 'a lot'.

But it's good stuff none-the-less.

Especially the Communist Manifesto.

Mine has a bunch of other Socialist works along with it.

Yay.

[jchanic]

How abut the Koran?

John

[Nero]

what about it?

please tell me this isn't just bait...

[jchanic]

Reading the Koran (and trying to understand it) gives a much needed insight into the minds of the Muslim community, and also lets you understand how the terrorists have corrupted it for their own means.

There was a quote on the old West Wing series that said it all: "The Muslim terrorists are to Muslim as the Ku Klux Klan is to Christianity."

John

[Nero]

Ahh ok, i thought you were going somewhere completely different with that. pardon my pessismism.

I've thought of reading the Koran many times for the exact reasons you just mentioned.

[NathanStrickland]

I think that banning books is not only dangerous to a society but also quite pointless. Dangerous in the sense that someone has taken it upon themself to be the moral arbiter for everyone else, telling them what is and is not acceptable. Mr. King has rebuffed that line of thinking in numerous quotes and written statements.

More to the point though, it's all quite useless. Art reflects life. The poisonous ideas in Mein Kampf were already evident in the Weimar Republic back when Hitler was keeping his notes about racial purity in a shoebox. The Communist Manifesto likewise reflects the appalling working conditions of 19th century Germany and the lack of social mechanisms to address them. The written philosophies may have been used as tools for evil work, but the job was already well underway.

As far banned fiction, I think it is safe to say that authors did not invent rape, murder, incest, child abuse, blasphemy, torture or genocide. I will also wager that most of the people who included those things in their written works did not practice them, and that those who did engage in heinous acts are in the extreme minority. Those horrifics things aren't fiction. They aren't goblins summoned forth by peddlers of literary vice. They're quite real, and more terrifying than a truckload of bogeymen or demons because they are committed by people who get up in the morning and put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you and me. If the Christian Ladies' Reading Society of Suffolk County thinks it is protecting anyone from these things by keeping books out of reach, they are only stripping our society of one of the few defenses we have against evil in this world. In fiction the good guys can win, at least some of the time.

[omm poppa mow mow]

There are lots of would-be censors out there, and although they may have different agendas, they all want basically the same thing: for you to see the world they see...or to at least shut up about you do see that's different. They are agents of the status quo. Not necessarily bad guys, but dangerous guys if you happen to believe in intellectual freedom.

Stephen King, On Writing, section or chapter 6 of the part called "On Writing"....p 187 my USA pb copy

[fljoe0]

I tried reading Mein Kampf and it's just downright boring. I've had the book for years and can't seem to get through it.

I had a history class in high school called "Hitler's Germany" and we read Mein Kampf (at least parts of it). If I'm remembering this right, I think we had to buy a copy of it too. The bookstore must have had fun with a bunch of kids coming in asking for Mein Kampf (I think the teachers used to have the bookstore get specific books in and then we went to the store and bought them). I'm not sure anyone could get away with requiring their students to buy a copy of Mein Kampf today.:biggrin2:

I think free speech and the ability to access material like that is very important. It allows us to see what we are dealing with. For better or worse, if you are going to have freedom of speech, you have to allow it all. If you start drawing lines, then we have to start asking, "who is drawing the lines and why?" and that starts to get dangerous.

[king family fan]

I would read anything King writes banned or not.

[jchanic]

If I find out a book has been banned, I'll do my best to search it out and read it. No exceptions.

John