How many things will be banned?
There is so little time and so much to vote for, or at least voice my opinion about. Everyone seems to be jumping right onto the banning-wagon feet first.
To be more specific, is it just me or does it just seem like there?s a lot of banning, or talk about banning, going on. Just to name a few, I?ve heard about banning: smoking, gay marriages, pit bulls, violence on TV, and certain books.
So many books have been challenged that Banned Books Week has been observed since 1982. The annual event is scheduled for Sept. 23-30 this year just in case you want to know. The hope is to remind Americans not to take reading, a precious democratic freedom, for granted. Unless, of course, somebody tries to ban this event.
Why do so many people feel the need to restrict, censor, stop or take away others? activities just because they don?t like that activity for reasons of their own? I?m just a little curious.
Phil Kerby, a former editor of the Los Angeles Times, said ?Censorship is the strongest drive in human nature; sex is a weak second.?
When I first heard that, I found it hard to believe. Once I took some time to think about it, it makes sense.
Parents seem to be the worst for challenging books and wanting them banned. From 2000 to 2004, there were 1526 challenges made by parents on different grounds including ?sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group, violent, promoting homosexuality, nudity and racism? just to name a few.
When I think about banning, I can?t help but feel a little frustrated wondering what?s next. It?s a shame everyone, absolutely everyone, could be one vote away from losing the right to do something just because someone else doesn?t approve of the activity.
Whatever happened to tolerance and person responsibility? I believe this country is about letting people have rights. In too many places in the world, no one has rights. At what point do we say enough is enough when it comes to banning?
As long as one person is offended by something, there will continue to be someone speaking out against it to others and encouraging them to speak out too.
Personally, I know where I stand on each of these items. If it?s morally wrong, God is the judge and not me. If it?s something on TV I don?t agree with, I just change the channel. If it?s a book, I don?t read it. In these cases, I don?t allow my children to watch or read it. If you want to, go ahead.
Vicious dogs are another matter. I think everyone knows where I stand on this but just in case. If you want to own a big, possibly vicious, dog, take responsibility for it. Don?t let it become a nuisance to others and if it does because you can?t control it, maybe you should reconsider your decision to keep one. If you can?t be responsible, or in some cases, won?t be responsible, the animal should be removed from your care. If the animal is considered too aggressive to be safely placed in another person?s home, then I think it should be humanely put to sleep.
Maybe if the city and county strictly enforce the leash law, this would help the situation. Like I?ve always said, asking some people to be responsible pet owners is like pulling teeth.
I hate to see anything come down to banning, but if you want to ban vicious dogs, of any species, or even irresponsible pet owners, I guess a little persuasion would get me to break my banning-wagon stance and join the banning-wagon fun.
Lisa Hobbs is a reporter for the Standard who can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].