I try to stay out of political issues as much as I can. They can be way too divisive and hostile. And, for what good purpose? So that one group can have power over others. There seems to be way more greed and power lust than any attempt to govern. It’s not really the hill that I’m willing to die on. After all, this blog has been primarily a platform to unmask the hidden dangers of certain religious traditions. Those traditions that are more concerned about greed and power lust…uh, wait a minute. That sounds familiar. “Greed and power lust.” Hmmm…Maybe I’m not too far removed from the language of modern politics.
Ok. Politics it is. At least, for today.
For the last 4 decades, or so, there has been a concerted effort on many to fan the flames of the so-called ‘Culture War.’ For those uninitiated, Culture wars are what happens when what I think is good and proper behavior is what you consider evil and decadent. It’s the old timey Blue Laws that prohibited alcohol sales on Sunday. They are the battle for the bedroom, (and, the bathroom). These culture wars are at the heart of anti-LGBTQ+ people and anti-abortion rights. They want to control everyone’s behavior based on one particular moral standard. A standard that really isn’t standard. But, these culture warriors don’t want to admit that.
In the U.S. these battles rage over a clear line of difference. That line is One Particular Interpretation of the Bible. That tosses these political issues convincingly into my wheel house. That O.P.I.O.T. B. is a staunchly conservative one. This view is commonly aligned with some flavor of flag-waving patriotism that mixes the Bible with nationalist fervor. This mixing of religion and politics, something that everyone knows should never be mixed at Thanksgiving, is like mixing gasoline with fire. Nothing good can ever come of it. This mash-up destroys both religion and politics. This grotesque hybrid is an abomination that should have been stillborn. Yet, it lives.
Now, I’m not just writing this stuff because I need to vent my spleen about the state of our union. That would be too simplistic. No, I’m concerned with one small skirmish that seems to be going mostly unnoticed by the MSM. In the midst of this lawsuit or those indictments and all of the attention turning toward an election that’s A YEAR AND A HALF AWAY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! this little attempt to censor free thought seems relegated to a side issue.
This is the problem with banning books.
Yeah! You heard me right! Right now, in 21st century U.S.A. people are banning books. Why, you ask? Because they are afraid of the ideas that some books espouse. These, mostly conservative and reactionary people are taking a page out of an ages old play book. Censor the ideas that are different than mine. Ideas are dangerous. They allow people to think. And, of course, we don’t want anyone to do that! Keep the populace dumb and in their place in order to serve their masters, er, those better able to understand things. Little Ronnie de Santis in Florida has spearheaded this in his state. He claims that he is taking a stand against ‘wokeness,’ whatever the hell that is. I think it’s a dogwhistle to like-minded people to signify ‘anything that could possible be considered progressive.’ So, it’s a pretty broad area of discussion. Rather than having intelligent and respectful discussions about the topics that these books cover, let’s just outright ban them. Maybe, if enough people like this, we can start to burn them! Won’t that be fun! So far there have been nearly 1,000 titles banned in several states. Boards of education all over the country are being assaulted by conservatives who want thoughts and ideas controlled to their advantage.
There is a problem with this, though. Besides the obvious attack on our intellectual freedom, that is. The biggest problem is that it never works. Banning books and any other way of spreading ideas is dead on arrival. No one can contain thought. It must always find a way.
Why not just ignore the issue until people wise up and the problem goes away?
Well, it never just goes away. There is usually a steep price to pay in order to keep our thoughts free. We can go all the way back to Socrates if we want to. The powers that be didn’t like what he was saying. So, he got to enjoy a hemlock smoothie. Throughout the middle ages books and the knowledge that they contained were restricted. It seems that there are always people who think that they know best for everyone. There was that one time, however, that overshadows every other attempt to censor free thought. That began in 1933 with book burnings in Nazi Germany. We all know how that ended.
So, no, ignoring the issue won’t do. It won’t do at all. There is too much at stake to simply stand back and let nature take its course. That’s why I’m writing this. I’m really pissed off that we still have to deal with this kind of idiocy at this point of civilization. I think that I’m more afraid of what may happen to people before this current fear of thought ends. Will bookstores be targeted? Public libraries? Schools in many places are already under fire for what they offer students. Will roving bands of book vigilantes in brown shirts stop students and check their bookbags for contraband titles? Don’t laugh. People laughed before and many suffered. Do your due diligence to find out what’s happening and where. Is there a movement in your community to force school boards to limit the educational resources that your children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren have?
Keep watch and be vigilant. Book banning have historically been only the first salvo in a much larger, bloodier culture war.
“He looked up again at the portrait of Big Brother. The colossus that bestrode the world! The rock against which the hordes of Asia dashed themselves in vain! He thought how ten minutes ago-yes, only ten minutes — there had still been equivocation in his heart as he wondered whether the news from the front would be of victory or defeat. Ah, it was more than a Eurasian army that had perished! Much had changed in him since that first day in the Ministry of Love, but the final, indispensable, healing change had never happened, until this moment.
The voice from the telescreen was still pouring forth its tale of prisoners and booty and slaughter, but the shouting outside had died down a little. The waiters were turning back to their work. One of them approached with the gin bottle. Winston, sitting in a blissful dream, paid no attention as his glass was filled up. He was not running or cheering any longer. He was back in the Ministry of Love, with everything forgiven, his soul white as snow. He was in the public dock, confessing everything, implicating everybody. He was walking down the white-tiled corridor, with the feeling of walking in sunlight, and an armed guard at his back. The long-hoped-for bullet was entering his brain.
He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” – the last page of Orwell’s 1984.
Seems like we have to learn this over and over again.
sadly, yes.