If you haven’t heard, author Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel Speak is once again under the knife of censorship. In particular, Wesley Scroggins an associate professor at Missouri State University is touting the book as pornography. Anderson is rallying her troops and asking bloggers, tweeters, writers, teens, and all who love this book to share the positive effect the book has had. It is time to SPEAK LOUDLY about the power of books to help educate and heal!

I thought I’d share with some great quotes about censorship and teen novels:

“It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.” – Judy Blume

“The reason books get banned, but movies can do almost anything is because the novel is more powerful than a movie. The reader is part of the creation of the story because they must imagine and envision it. There is creation in the act of reading.” – Carolyn Mackler

“Books won’t stay banned.  They won’t burn.  Ideas won’t go to jail.  In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost.  The only weapon against bad ideas is better ideas.” ~Alfred Whitney Griswold, New York Times, 24 February 1959

“Censorship in any form is the enemy of creativity, since it cuts off the blood of creativity: ideas.” – Allan Jenkins

“The real heroes are the librarians and teachers who at no small risk to themselves refuse to lie down and play dead for censors.” – Bruce Coville

“Withholding information is the essence of tyranny. Control of the flow of information is the tool of the dictatorship.” – Bruce Coville

Find Out More Information or Get Involved:

• Follow the thread #speakloudly on twitter for more great posts and information.
• Add a Twibbon on your twitter profile to show your support.
• Write a letter to the editor of News-Leader.
• Write a letter to the superintendent or principal in the Republic School District.
• Comment directly on Scoggin’s post.

Check Out These Other Great Blog Posts:

• Talheen: Another Angry Case of Censorship
• Emily Griffin: Letting the Statistics Speak Loudly For Themselves
• Professor Nana: Speak out for Speak
• Sassy Monkey: Speak is not Porn
• Janie Frost: Speaking Out
• Paul Hawkins: One Chance to Speak Loudly
• Sarah Hockler: Speak Loudly
• La Femme Readers: Scroggin’s Can Suck It
• Laurie Halse Anderson: Reads Poems from Readers about Speak

There are MANY MANY MORE posts out there! Show your support!

Tags: Censorship