ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 26, 1996 TAG: 9610280101
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B12 EDITION: METRO
Stephen King may be one of the best-selling writers of all time, but he has his adversaries.
According to the American Library Association, King and Judy Blume are the two most-often challenged - and banned - authors in schools and libraries.
``Carrie'': challenged at Clark High School library in Las Vegas in 1975 as ``trash.'' ``Cujo'': Removed from the shelves of the Bradford, N.Y., school library in 1985 ``because it was a bunch of garbage.'' ``Salem's Lot'': Banned from the English class of Cleveland, Texas, Independent High School even after teachers had inked out objectionable words.
The list goes on and on: ``Does not meet community standards.'' ``Teaches about the occult.'' ``Urges children to rebel.'' ``Makes a mockery of Christianity.''
``Overriding all the specific complaints is the supernatural element of the book,'' says Judith Krug, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. ``Even when it's not supernatural, he gives the impression that it's not really the world in which we live. It conjures up images and visions. And sometimes it's downright scary. People don't like that.''
And what does the author say?
``What I tell kids is, don't get mad [about censorship,] get even,'' King said at a recent conference at the University of Maine. ``Run, don't walk, to the first library you can find, and read what they're trying to keep out of your eyes. Read what they're trying to keep out of your brains. Because that's exactly what you need to know.''
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 36 linesby CNB