Why We Must Protect Our Right to Read
Banned books. I’ve written about this subject more than once. A move to take control of our schools, libraries, and private universities makes this issue even more troubling. Our Bill of Rights in the American Constitution guarantees Freedom of Speech, but we are evidently not as free as we think.
If a book expresses thoughts that might be construed as “Woke”, that said book may be pulled off the shelves. The latest victim, courtesy of our new Secretary of Defense, is the U.S. Naval Academy. You can still find copies of Mein Kampf by Adolph Hitler, but no longer can you find a copy of Maya Angelou’s critically acclaimed bestselling memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
The beloved classic, read by millions, underscores the importance of empathy and resilience to counteract the scourge of prejudice and racism. Why some would seek to muffle its message is troubling. The action of its removal from a college library serves as a wake-up call.
In protest, local citizens of Annapolis read from their own copies of I know Why the Caged Bird Sings on April 12 that Susan Campbell Park at the foot of Dock Street and the Harbor.
What is interesting is that when books are banned, it makes people more curious as to what they contain. It’s human nature to want to take a peek and see what is behind the curtain.
In recent years a number of school libraries in Florida, Texas and Virginia have removed The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985) from their shelves due to its depiction of religion in government and the exploitation of women.
The challenges to its content have made the novel more popular with readers. Its notoriety has also helped it to build a large following of viewers for the streaming series on Hulu, that aired initially in 2017, and in Spring 2025 is currently airing its sixth and final season.
To date, over eight million copies in English of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood have been sold.
What can local citizens do to encourage freedom of the press and freedom of literature? Continue to READ books and share books. Start a book club and discuss difficult topics. Challenge yourself to try to see the world in different ways. What’s in your town’s library? Do you have books you’d like neighbors and friends to read. You can start a “little library” of your own.
Government begins on a local level where you can speak with your elected representatives face-to face. Many people are already afraid to draw attention to themselves because they fear some sort of retribution. If you remain silent, you are in affect abetting an injustice.
I cannot say it any better than the Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemöller who regretted his initial apathy when the Nazi’s took over German leadership. The result: World War II and The Holocaust.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-because I am not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-because I am not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-because I am not a Jew.
Then they came for me-and there was no one left to speak for me.
-Martin Niemöller
I will close with another favorite quote. This one is from the famous anthropologist, Margaret Mead.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
-Margaret Mead
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Originally published at http://nadjamaril.com on April 16, 2025.
