Book banning and censorship in the media have been problems throughout history. Government bodies constantly remove important pieces of literature and information from the news and public websites, proving they have something to hide.
Book bans have been worldwide. Since books were written, there are some things that some people do not want to put into the public’s hands. Though books are banned, most of the time you can still purchase and read them. Books are banned because of cloudy or controversial topics that lie between their pages. Things like LGBTQ+ and dystopian governments are hard for politicians to wrap their heads around. Some books include The Handmaid’s Tale, Fahrenheit 451, All Boys Aren’t Blue, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Some of these books are dystopian novels that warn the world of what will happen if we let ourselves be manipulated by a powerful and oppressive entity. Others talk about racism and come to realize that the world is wrong and needs to be corrected. The rest talk about the rights and lives of the LGBTQ+ community. These books are nothing more than a memoir or fiction, a warning or the true story of a person’s life, and yet they are banned for being too much for some. Specifically, The Handmaid’s Tale, this novel is a story of an oppressive governing body taking the rights of women away to serve their repulsive agenda. The Handmaid’s Tale is a banned book because, currently, in the world, rights are being taken away from women for the government’s benefit.
Not only books but censorship in the media is significant as well. We do not know the inner workings of the government and what is going on at all times because of the censorship politicians and news reporters will use to cover things up. There are also instances where crimes or stories will come up in the news, and by the next day, they are completely forgotten about. Most of the time, this is because stories are only heard in passing and play no part in the ongoings of society. In other cases, the news, governors, and even the president refuse to comment on or review a story. For example, there was an instance in 2016 when the US Army alone had accumulated $6.5 trillion in debt and had no answer about where the money had gone. Everyone in the federal government refused to comment and cover the story because it was stated they were not obligated to track every penny the military had spent. (reuters.com)
Book banning and constant censorship are useless to the world. Books will continue to be written in warning for what is to come. More people will find ways to share their stories and be sure they are heard. Knowledge is power. The more the government bodies try to cover up and hide their wrongdoings and stop the warnings, the more the people will push for their representation.
