By Steve Rhodes
“This week marks 30 years of the annual Banned Books Week, and multiple Chicago area libraries and educational institutions are holding readings and discussions,” CBS2 Chicago reports.
“Banned Books Week honors what organizers call freedom to read. The 2012 celebration will be held through Oct. 6.”
The Channel 2 report lists some local events and we’ll add value here by providing some Chicago-related banned book read-outs and inspirations culled from YouTube and a certain movie you might recall.
1. Chicago Public Library’s Teen Volume Banned-Books Read-Out Submission.
“Teens from Chicago Public Library’s Teen Advisory Council read an excerpt of Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in celebration of the ALA’s Virtual Banned Books Read Out for 2012!”
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2. Native Son in Montana.
“To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, Kelly Webster, the Director of The Writing Center, discusses Native Son, by Richard Wright.
“This video is one of a five-part series of short films in which members of The University of Montana campus community discuss their favorite banned books. Individuals talk about what their favorite book is, why it is their favorite, and why it was banned or challenged.”
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3. Harry Potter in Durango.
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4. Another Absolutely read-out.
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5. The Diary of Anne Frank read-out.
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6. From Footloose (Ren was from Chicago, you know):
Rev. Moore: Roger! Eleanor! What are you doing?
Roger, Eleanor: We decided these books –
Rev. Moore: Who’s we? Whose authority are you acting on?
Hold it everybody! Listen to me!
When did you all decide to sit in judgment?
Who elected you to be the saviors of everybody’s souls in Bomont?
Roger, Eleanor: We have a perfect right to determine what our children –
Rev. Moore: When you’ve burned all of these, what are you gonna do then? Chris, take these out of here.
Satan is not in these books.
He’s in here!
He’s in your hearts.
Go on home, all of you.
Go and sit in judgment on yourselves.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on October 2, 2012