opinion
Book-banning is
on the increase
“It’s a problem that’s more and more
prevalent,” says Cheryl Emmingham standing in
front of her bookstore display of banned books.
Censorship is increasing.
Emmingham is assistant manager of
tradebooks She observed this recent phenomen
on and coordinated the banned book display and
information notebook found on the second floor of
the bookstore
The bookstore’s display has led to an in
crease in sales of these books and "I read banned
books” buttons.
What Emmingham has noticed is that book
banning is not only symptomatic of the rebirth of
conservatism, but initiated also by special interest
groups, "who want to control what people are
reading.”
Censorship by school districts and even state
legislatures is not a regional phenomenon nor a
religious one. San Francisco school districts
banned "Mary Poppins” due to pressure frcm
women’s groups. Mark Twain School in Warring
ton, Penn., banned "Huckleberry Finn” because
of the way it portrayed blacks.
Oregon is not without its share of censorship.
For instance, the Roseburg school board banned
the game Dungeons and Dragons from schools on
the grounds that it teaches, "fantasies of evil.”
The Supreme Court has upheld the First
Amendment when some of these cases and others
have been taken to court. On June 24 in a 5-4
decision the Court upheld the right of a group of
Long Island students to keep their banned books
on the shelf. Justice Brennan called this, "the
right to receive ideas.”
The right to "receive ideas” seems a bit fuzzy.
Ask any teacher; receiving ideas is not particularly
a right but an ability.
In some cases, self-righteous and ignorant
groups want to ban books because they dislike a
particular clause or phrase. For instance Anchor
age, Alaska's school board banned The American
Heritage Dictionary because of definitions of
"bed" as a verb and "knocker” as slang for a
woman's breast.
In these cases childish titillation on the part of
the board has taken over common sense.
The right to free speech is what the Court
must uphold That and feedom of prior constraint
According to Emmingham, even though the
Supreme Court has more or less upheld the First
Amendment when it is challenged by book ban
ning, the books still are being taken off the shelf
while the cases are pending. Unless the com
munity chooses to take it to court, the books will
be gone, permanently
The "Most Censored Books” list compiled by
the American Library Association reads someth
ing like a list of suggested summer reading:
"Grapes of Wrath,” "Of Mice and Men,” "To Kill a
Mockingbird,” and of course, that lascivious and
libidinous "Catcher in the Rye" to name only a
few
The American Booksellers Association and
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
are opposing this newest trend.
It may be trendy to read banned books, but it
is definitely misplaced social concern to ban them
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letters
Haws kudos
i have now served my community for over seven
years as a city counselor, and determined that it was
time for me to resign I did this for two reasons. First, as
the economy worsens my growing bankruptcy business
is demanding more and more of my time Second, the
voters in my ward have now had an opportunity to vote
in the primary and elect my successor I see no reason
to make him wait seven months until January, 1983 to
take office
As my last task I wish to thank those who have
supported me these many years — my wife and family,
friends, citizens, staff members, and other Council
members
I also wish to thank the local TV and radio stations,
the Willamette Valley Observer, the Springfield News
and the Emerald for the long hours they put in covering
the local news I am pleased to report to the citizens of
Eugene that they have reported the news fairly and
objectively They have not, as have some tinged with
nepotism, distorted the news Innuendoes, half-truths,
political slanting, libel and name-calling have not been
their trademarks
I also wish to thank those people who took the time to
come to the city council meetings to testify at hearings
or to write to us so that we would have this additional
point of view before we made our decisions
It has been an honor and pleasure to serve the Bethel
Ward and the City of Eugene
Eric Haws
Attorney at Law
Dear Dr. Olum
I m writing as an employee of the University, a
citizen of Eugene, a parent and a person who believes
that the only hope for the survival of this planet is
communication — granted, the hope is dwindling with
every newspaper headline.
The universities of this nation have always been
wombs for the birthing of ideas and ideals that call to
task our state and federal governments when they
become citadel's of destruction rather than servants of
J
the people To axe KWAX at this most crucial time to
begin struggle against leaders of nations who value
nuclear weapons over environmental harmony, over
food for the hungry, over comfort and/or security for
senior citizens, the disabled, the children, well, hell, all
of us, is to take a giant hand and place it over the mouth
of the people, for the people, by the people.
I realize your choices are all lousy but I agree with
the staff at KWAX when they state their $82,000 annual
budget is not likely to save a school or department and
there is a good chance for KWAX to become self-suf
ficient if given the time to do so as was originally
proposed
Leslie E. Hunter, Secretary
Department of Psychology
KWAX case
With your June 24 editorial you created a beautiful
case for saving KWAX (and the three other out-reach
programs) from the budget axe. As you mentioned,
KWAX directly benefits Oregon,” provides a "crucial
link between the University and the State,” is
necessary for good public relations," and “provides
work experience for students.”
With these positive attributes, how can KWAX’s
demise be considered the "right move” by Pres Paul
Olum?
Every day of the year KWAX reaches out into the
University community and beyond with classical music,
radio drama, and public affairs. University money which
goes to KWAX is economically spent on informing,
educating and entertaining thousands of people.
All of academia needs to be reexamined if the "lesser
of evils' involves cutting programs which benefit
thousands on a daily basis.
These cuts are shortsighted, the easy way out of our
budget problems. Instead, the Oregon State System of
Higher Education needs to do some long-range plan
ning, consolidating duplicate programs.
Cutting the small, unique programs at each school
hurts the entire system The proposed cuts will only
isolate this University further from the people, at the
time when it should be reaching out to all Oregonians.
Karen Nestvold
Music