The United States, Land of the Free-- A place we call home, a place where we have "freedom of speech"...

Freedom of speech? How ironic that in a place, where we are told we have freedom of speech, books would be banned. I don't know if it is just me or not, but what's the difference between writing something down and saying it? I mean, I understand the fact that once something is written, it becomes documentation-- something of permanance. But it is still a form of speech, an expression, an idea!

The American Library Association website has a week that celebrates the books that have been banned in American history. This "emphasizes the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them".

With the idea of freedom of speech, how can the government justify banning books? One has an idea, writes it down, and people choose to read it or not read it. Plain and simple. Books are something people CHOOSE to read.

Along with the fact that people don't have the freedom to write what they want to, people do not have the freedom to read what they want to. So what the hell does freedom of speech really mean then? I can say what I want? I just can't write it?

So people are banning books and people are choosing to accept it... well then where does it stop? Someone finds something offensive, it can't be printed. We all have different values, different interests, different ideals. It is impossible to please everyone. People can just choose to not read it if they don't want to.

If people are worried about "sexually explicit" material getting into the hands of minors, then they should use censorship rather than banning. Pornography is legal-- that's a whole lot more than words.

Banning books is a waste of our governments energy. They need to start putting their focus somewhere else. Like maybe our educational system?