[SummerLover]

This is from the first amendment thread, but abimommy suggested it be given a room of its own so as not to derail the other thread.

Catcher in the Rye in the news again-

Quote:

Andrea Minnon of Lebanon said she had never heard of "The Catcher in the Rye" before she learned that it was on her 14-year-old son Spencer's freshman reading list. After researching the book online with her husband, she concluded that it espouses immoral ideas that are inappropriate for freshman-age students. Now she wants it removed from the freshman curriculum.

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/n...09catcher.shtml

 

[mamadawg]

So she asked that it be banned BEFORE she's even read it? How can they actually take her seriously?

 

[Fianna]

I loved the poster in the other thread (sorry, I don't remember who posted it!) who said she was most offended that the parents had researched the book on the internet--Exactly!!
I loved Catcher in the Rye when we studied it my senior year of high school. I hope my girls will as well. But as an English teacher myself, I totally understand how things like this happen. And it makes me quite sad.

 

[calpurnia]

First they burn books, then they burn people.

Where does that phrase come from? What I thought of anyway. This makes me so fuming mad.

AND I love that book. Grr.

 

[Galatea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calpurnia First they burn books, then they burn people.

Actually, it should be, first they vote "moral values," second they burn books, then they burn people.

 

[Calm]

OT sort of.

I am sorta kinda hoping that Dan Brown's books become part of curriculum. heh heh. Hey, don't be like that, haven't they been in the top ten for years? They're classics I tell you, classics!

This whole C in the R thing reminds me of how Harry Potter first went down in certain circles. Burning 'em by the truck load, they were.

 

[asherah]

OK, I understand that not everyone has read "Catcher.."
But this woman says she never even heard of it??

Umm.. this is an incredibly important classic. If one has never even heard of it.. I have to wonder about one's level of education and literacy.

I don't want people who have never even heard of "Catcher in the Rye" making decisions about what other people's children should read.

 

[Elphaba]

No %^&8. How do you get to be an adult and never even HEAR of The Catcher in the Rye?

I am so sick of ignorant people.

 

[DaryLLL]

I think the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe should be banned from public school libraries! Too Christian.

I can't believe the pub school librarian read that out loud to us once a week when I was in 3rd grade.

 

[CollegeMama]

No doubt DaryLLL, what's with the double standard here?

I'm sickened by this. But what's funny to me is that our library has a display of "banned books" encouraging everyone to check one out!

Quote:

Actually, it should be, first they vote "moral values," second they burn books, then they burn people.

uke

Yes, unfortunately this is too true. Catcher in the Rye was one of the most important books I have ever read. And...I may not have read it if it weren't on my reading list my sophomore year.

 

[chicagomom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CollegeMama But what's funny to me is that our library has a display of "banned books" encouraging everyone to check one out!

I love librarians!

Here's a hug for all the librarians out there.

 

[Terpatude]

Our children's school libraian also made dispaly of books that had previously vbeen banned..I think it is great. Some of the mommas were complaining about them..i asked several of the moms if they had read any of them... Not a one of them had read any of the books, yet they found it "immoral" to have those books "shoved" in the kids faces... what happened to thinking for one's self??

 

[Galatea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terpatude Our children's school libraian also made dispaly of books that had previously vbeen banned..I think it is great. Some of the mommas were complaining about them..i asked several of the moms if they had read any of them... Not a one of them had read any of the books, yet they found it "immoral" to have those books "shoved" in the kids faces... what happened to thinking for one's self??

This makes me sick. Shouldn't there be a law that you have to READ them before you can burn them?

 

[Benji'sMom]

Well, I didn't really like Catcher- a short book like that where every other word is goddamn doesn't really leave a lot of room for anything worthwhile to happen. It was boring. But at least I READ it and I can have an opinion on it based on actually having read the book. (And it wasn't even on my school list.) As much time as she spent "researching it," she could have taken that time and actually read it instead.

 

[Arduinna]

I LOVED that book, read it in high school also although I don't remember it being required reading? But that was over 20 years ago.

I agree with what everyone has said here so far.

yes first they vote "morality" then burn books, then people.

 

[annakiss]

I just read Catcher in the Rye again a couple of summers ago. I love it. JD Salinger is my hero. I

JD Salinger. The book seems so important for young people.

I swear that this country is starting to look like we're in the dark ages again.

 

[DaryLLL]

You know how Bush uses the rhetoric "they hate our freedom" to describe the amorphous Muslim/Arab/Iraqi threat? Well, we have freedom here in this country, but some people in this country "hate our freedom."

Ironic, no?

 

[sharksmum]

My grade 9 English teacher had us read ONLY books that had been banned/ were banned as part of a protest against our school's administration.
It was a very interesting year!!

and ITA that Catcher in the Rye is a great read!!
Actually, I think I'm going to go get it out of the library again today.

 

[Qerratsmom]

I have several copies of Cather and the Rye on my book case, I'm going to go out and buy another one in protest

 

[librarymom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaryLLL You know how Bush uses the rhetoric "they hate our freedom" to describe the amorphous Muslim/Arab/Iraqi threat? Well, we have freedom here in this country, but some people in this country "hate our freedom." Ironic, no?

Excellent point, DaryLLL.