THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 19, 1996 TAG: 9609190003
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: By HARVEY D. ELUTO
LENGTH: 48 lines
It is possible that Dennis J. Brown (letter, Sept. 12) and I may agree that there are areas in our society that need improvement. However, we may not agree on the solutions.
I totally support a parent's right to decide what is appropriate for his or her child to read. I do object to that parent dictating what is appropriate for someone else's children.
I strongly urge Mr. Brown and everyone to visit their local library or bookstore to learn about Banned Books Week 1996 (Sept. 28-Oct. 5) - the 15th annual promotion celebrating the freedom to read. It is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the American Library Association, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of American Publishers and the National Association of College Stores and is endorsed by the Center of the Book, the Library of Congress.
The rights to freedom of speech, firmly rooted in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, require continuing vigilance in order to keep it vital. This weeklong celebration examines freedom of speech by showing actual situations where that freedom has been challenged. It is clear that the threats against the freedom come from many quarters. Many political persuasions are represented in the spectrum of those who would limit the freedom of others to choose what they read, see or hear.
Those who would limit the option of others do so for the ``best'' of reasons. They wish to impose their values and beliefs on others because they are secure that their values and beliefs are the ``right'' ones. Yet, time and again, it seems there is more than one ``right.'' It is ``right'' to shelter children from evil and harm, yet it is also ``right'' to educate them about how to recognize evil and to teach them to protect themselves from harm. It is ``right'' to despise racism and discrimination, but it is also ``right'' to allow free expression. The solution to this dilemma is the freedom to choose - freedom to choose what is right for a specific person at a specific time. And in order to choose, one must have a variety of choices. When options are restricted or eliminated, then one cannot objectively choose a point of view; one can only choose whether to blindly accept or rebelliously reject what is offered. MEMO: Harvey Eluto is a local bookseller who has been fighting the
censorship battle for almost 30 years. He is active in Virginians
Against Censorship Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation. by CNB