#BookBanning

[pennsyltuckyheathen]

Book banning in public schools has been on the rise in the US, jumping by 33% during the 2022-2023 school year, according to a new PEN America study. Florida has overtaken Texas as the state with the highest number of titles pulled off the shelves and accounts for just under half of the nationwide bans. Consistently, this censorship targets materials dealing with themes like physical abuse, sexual assault, race and LGBTQ+ identities.

And most book banning is promoted by the Moms For Liberty - which is their liberty to barge into your community and your schools to demand that you ban books they don’t like - who have been designated a far-right extremist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center.  

Moms For Liberty is embraced by the Republican party since the end goal for both is to privatize education in the United States sending billions in taxpayer funds to corporate and evangelical schools.  

[eric-sadahire]

Just 11 People Responsible for 60% of Book Ban Requests Across the US.

Gotta believe another world is possible. There's no way billions of years of evolution culminating in this historic moment will end with us languishing on this spinning rock in space only to oppress ourselves forever.

It would be an incredible waste.

[phonemantra-blog]

The Peabody Awards, a prestigious honor in broadcasting and streaming media, has unveiled its nominees for the 2023 documentary, news, public service, and radio/podcast categories. These nominees represent the most impactful and thought-provoking stories released during the year, highlighting critical issues and captivating audiences. Celebrating Exceptional Documentaries The documentary category boasts a strong lineup, featuring narratives that illuminate real-world struggles and triumphs. Here are some notable inclusions: Peabody Awards Recognize 20 Days in Mariupol: This Oscar-winning documentary offers a harrowing account of the Russian invasion of Ukraine through the eyes of journalists trapped in Mariupol. Director Mstyslav Chernov leads a team of Associated Press journalists capturing the city's devastating siege in 2022. Award Season Recognition: The Peabody Awards nominations resonate with the recognition these documentaries received at the Academy Awards. Five additional Oscar-nominated documentaries are also included, spanning diverse themes: 2023 Nominees: All That Breathes (environmental concerns) and All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (art and activism) 2024 Nominees: Bobi Wine: The People's President (political struggle), The Eternal Memory (WWII remembrance), and To Kill a Tiger (human-wildlife conflict). Beyond the Oscars: The Peabody Awards extend recognition beyond the Oscars, including the Emmy-winning biopic Still: A Michael J. Fox Story, showcasing the life of the iconic actor. A Spotlight on Pressing Issues: News and Public Service The nominees in the News and Public Service categories tackle critical issues demanding public attention. Here's a glimpse into the themes explored: Impact of Roe v. Wade Overturning: Documentaries shed light on the challenges faced by women in the United States following the landmark abortion rights ruling being overturned. The Taliban's Resurgence: Journalistic investigations delve into the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan and its consequences. The Israel-Hamas Conflict: Productions explores the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, offering nuanced perspectives on the complex situation. Rise of Christian Nationalism: Investigative reports examine the growing influence of Christian nationalism in the United States. These nominees illustrate the Peabody Awards' commitment to recognizing media that sparks conversation and encourages action on crucial societal issues. Unveiling Stories Through Audio: Radio/Podcast The power of storytelling through audio is well-represented by the Radio/Podcast category nominees. These compelling productions delve into various topics: Book Banning in the US: Podcasts investigate the growing phenomenon of book banning in the United States, exploring the motivation behind it and its impact on education and intellectual freedom. COVID-19 Tracking Efforts: Productions highlight the vital role of the COVID-19 tracking project in providing crucial information during the pandemic. Prison Reform Advocacy: Podcasts address the need for prison reform and advocate for a more just and humane prison system. True Crime Investigations: Well-researched and insightful true crime podcasts delve into mysteries and historical cases, seeking answers and bringing closure. These diverse nominees showcase the versatility of audio storytelling and its ability to inform, entertain, and inspire. Celebrating Storytelling Excellence In a statement, Jeffrey Jones, Executive Director of Peabody, emphasized the power of these nominated stories: Jones underscores the importance of recognizing media that inspires us to not only be entertained but also strive for positive change. The Road to the Winners' Circle The winners of the 84th annual Peabody Awards will be announced on May 9th, followed by an in-person ceremony on June 9th at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. This marks a momentous occasion, being the first in-person Peabody ceremony since 2019 and the first to take place in Los Angeles. The remaining categories, including Arts, Children's/Youth, Entertainment, and Interactive & Immersive, will have their nominees revealed on April 25th.

[notesfromtheroomofwonder]

Update on NOTEFLIX’s production of “Troubles in the Garden”. While our film crew is on vacation, members of our cast are attending a lecture series on the “History of Stuffed Animals”. This lecture is being given in the dark of night because there are some malcontents who would ban such activities – under the name of who knows what. This particular lecture delves into the question of : Who was the first Stuffed Animal? Was it Peter, the Rabbit ? Or Frankie the Dog? …The malcontents believe the knowledge pertaining to such things might lead to Socialism, or even – worse – to the State of WOKE, wherever that is. (We hope to get back to filming next week.) . #likes #likesforlike #woke #bestofallpossibleworlds #bookbanning #smallminds #decivilization #theratpapers #impunity #blogger @morganmetz #msnbc https://www.instagram.com/p/CqEMuJ0OFLr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thats-on-point]

Here is a clip from Yesterday's show. Today Doc discusses the fact that DeSantis has replaced the Board of Reedy Creek and taken control over Disney's Independent State DIstirict. Website - https://www.thatsonpoint.info Merch - https://teespring.com/stores/thats-on-point-me Follow Us On; Bitchute-https://www.bitchute.com/channel/8SXcz1rqDyu7/ YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRNHroldv9kuaatarS7uclA Minds-https://www.minds.com/thatsonpoint/ Top Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn_fZ4JhHN05YLijsdmkYSQ/ Paler:https://parler.com/profile/DocComeau Support Us On; Subscribe Star-https://www.subscribestar.com/that-s-on-point Patreon-https://www.patreon.com/ThatsOnPoint?fan_landing=tru

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

James Baldwin’s “Dark Days” feels like an especially relevant read right now. #jamesbaldwin #racism #whitesupremacy #transphobia #homophobia #blackauthors #civilrightsmovement #blackhistorymonth #blacklivesmatter #bookbanning #florida #texas #criticalracetheory #antiracism #antiracisteducation #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #booklover #ignorance #blackhistory365 #americanhistory https://www.instagram.com/p/Co-ARiaOCxT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[libraryjournal]

Attn. Book Lovers: Are you angry about #bookbans? Join us on Mon. July 17th at noon ET to learn what you can do about it! Register ASAP, and please help spread the word!

@DC_Cimina

@FerrellStephana

@ninalorez

@ctrichmond

@veronikellymarshttps://womensmediagroup.org/event-5325775

[forewordreviewsmag]

It's hard to be surprised by headlines now-a-days.

Although, amidst an unprecedented assault on libraries & literature, this recent news from Montana seems alarming.

The Montana State Library Commission voted to withdraw from the American Library Association due to comments made by the incoming president, Emily Drabinski, who described herself as a "Marxist lesbian" in a now-deleted Tweet. The commission argued that their duty to the Constitution prevented them from associating with a Marxist-led organization.

In a release, the American Library Association offered a matter-of-fact response to the Montana state library commission's decision to withdraw. "ALA presidents are elected by its membership to serve a term of one year and make decisions facing the membership in concert with a 15-member elected executive board and a 131-member elected council," the statement notes. However, they did not go as far as to defend Drabinski, an accomplished and highly respected librarian who has since been targeted by right-wing political forces.

The Montana Library Association expressed deep regret over the commission's decision, highlighting the loss of essential training and resources for library professionals in the state. They called for reconsideration, emphasizing the importance of serving the public good and the long-term interests of all Montanans.

[pennsyltuckyheathen]

The residents said in the lawsuit that the decision by county officials to remove the books from library shelves violated the First Amendment and 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The books were removed from the shelves of three libraries in the Llano County library system.

[eric-sadahire]

Banning the teaching of systemic racism is actually a perfect example of systematic racism

[hecatesdelights]

[wondernwriter]

I’m so sick of these snitching little bastards & their ignorant ass mommies & daddies. Knowing damn well they don’t read books.

[ebuddha87]

They're banning books. Which means they know that they done fucked up...

[undead-moth]

Because this is such an excellent post I'm going to try to keep my infodump here brief but I can't pass it up:

Whether or not something that happens within a story is "realistic" is determined by an agreement made between the writer and the audience in the premise.

The writer establishes the rules of the world and promises not to break them as long as you, the audience, promise to believe anything that happens without breaking them is real even if they aren't plausible or possible (re: realistic) in real life.

This is where the term "suspension of disbelief" comes from. If the writer asks you to suspend your disbelief higher than they initially promised in the premise, that means they broke one of the rules, and something has happened that goes against what you agreed to believe is plausible or possible for the purposes of immersing yourself in the story. If a story asks you to suspend your disbelief too high from the outset, that means something about this story is just too implausible or impossible as a premise for you to immerse yourself in personally.

When something "unrealistic" happens within a story, it very specifically refers to what shouldn't be plausible or possible within the story's universe -

It does not refer to what is implausible or impossible in real life.

This is why criticism of tragedies, horror, and musicals are often missing the point, and don't offer productive analysis. It doesn't matter if someone in real life would "wait a few minutes" to see if Juliet wakes up. It doesn't matter if losing cell service is "convenient." It doesn't matter if no one "bursts into song" in real life. None of these genres have the same rules as real life and they're not meant to.

If these genres are asking you to suspend your disbelief higher than you're able to, it's fair to not be a fan of them. It's not fair to insist all of these genres actually suck just because they don't conform to the specific height at which you personally prefer a story to suspend your disbelief.

This is a dangerous sentiment for me to express, as an editor who spends most of my working life telling writers to knock it off with the 45-word sentences and the adverbs and tortured metaphors, but I do think we're living through a period of weird pragmatic puritanism in mainstream literary taste.

e.g. I keep seeing people talk about 'purple prose' when they actually mean 'the writer uses vivid and/or metaphorical descriptive language'. I've seen people who present themselves as educators offer some of the best genre writing in western canon as examples of 'purple prose' because it engages strategically in prose-poetry to evoke mood and I guess that's sheer decadence when you could instead say "it was dark and scary outside". But that's not what purple prose means. Purple means the construction of the prose itself gets in the way of conveying meaning. mid-00s horse RPers know what I'm talking about. Cerulean orbs flash'd fire as they turn'd 'pon rollforth land, yonder horizonways. <= if I had to read this when I was 12, you don't get to call Ray Bradbury's prose 'purple'.

I griped on here recently about the prepossession with fictional characters in fictional narratives behaving 'rationally' and 'realistically' as if the sole purpose of a made-up story is to convince you it could have happened. No wonder the epistolary form is having a tumblr renaissance. One million billion arguments and thought experiments about The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas that almost all evade the point of the story: that you can't wriggle out of it. The narrator is telling you how it was, is and will be, and you must confront the dissonances it evokes and digest your discomfort. 'Realistic' begins on the author's terms, that's what gives them the power to reach into your brain and fiddle about until sparks happen. You kind of have to trust the process a little bit.

This ultra-orthodox attitude to writing shares a lot of common ground with the tight, tight commodification of art in online spaces. And I mean commodification in the truest sense - the reconstruction of the thing to maximise its capacity to interface with markets. Form and function are overwhelmingly privileged over cloudy ideas like meaning, intent and possibility, because you can apply a sliding value scale to the material aspects of a work. But you can't charge extra for 'more challenging conceptual response to the milieu' in a commission drive. So that shit becomes vestigial. It isn't valued, it isn't taught, so eventually it isn't sought out. At best it's mystified as part of a given writer/artist's 'talent', but either way it grows incumbent on the individual to care enough about that kind of skill to cultivate it.

And it's risky, because unmeasurables come with the possibility of rejection or failure. Drop in too many allegorical descriptions of the rose garden and someone will decide your prose is 'purple' and unserious. A lot of online audiences seem to be terrified of being considered pretentious in their tastes. That creates a real unwillingness to step out into discursive spaces where you 🫵 are expected to develop and explore a personal relationship with each element of a work. No guard rails, no right answers. Word of god is shit to us out here. But fear of getting that kind of analysis wrong makes people hove to work that slavishly explains itself on every page. And I'm left wondering, what's the point of art that leads every single participant to the same conclusion? See Spot run. Run, Spot, run. Down the rollforth land, yonder horizonways. I just want to read more weird stuff.