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Banned Book Week

redhairedhobbit:

According to the ALA (American Library Association), The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was banned for: anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence

The violence, I get. It’s a violent book. People die, etc. However, that’s the only reason I understand.

1. Anti-ethnic.

Am I imagining things, or was it implied Katniss was Native American? I just kinda… saw her that way, anyway. Maybe that’s just me. Rue, the little heroine who both saved Katniss’ life and served as a catalyst for Katniss’ success in the Games, was black. Thresh, also black, saved Katniss’ life out of respect for Rue. I’m not sure how representing different ethnicities in positive lights can be construed as ‘anti-ethnic’, but perhaps I missed something…

2. Insensitivity.

To whom, may I ask? The readers? People who are forced by their governments to do things they don’t want to? The government itself? Pfft. Stop making things up.

3. Offensive Language.

… I fail to remember any curse words of a hugely alarming nature in this book. Or, in fact, any at all. Genuinely, can someone please enlighten me about this reason?

4. Occult/Satanic

OH COME ON. You’re just making things up now. Unless my copy of the book was missing a chapter in which Katniss summoned the Devil and fornicated with him in order to receive the healing balm for Peeta’s leg, there’s no occult/satanic stuff in there. Unless, of course, the occult parts is in reference to the creation of the Mutts, in which case, the bad guys did that, not our protagonist, Censors. It doesn’t count. That’s like banning the Bible because it mentions sin. 

5. Anti-Family

I left this point for last, simply because of how ridiculous it is. Premise: Older sister doesn’t want her younger sister to die, so volunteers to go and face certain death in her place.

WHAT PART ABOUT THIS SELF-SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO SAVE A LOVED RELATIVE IS ‘ANTI-FAMILY’?! How can that POSSIBLY be a given reason to ban the Hunger Games? Everything Katniss does is for her family. She hunts for her family so they don’t starve. She puts food on their table. She picked up the pieces after her father died and her mother broke down, so that Prim could survive. And then, when Prim is threatened, Katniss offers her own life to keep her sister safe. 

No. You’re being ridiculous, Censors. I will grant you the violence, because it is a book about the organised, sanctioned murder of children. It’s bound to be a bit bloody. But the rest of it? No. Go back to the drawing board and think of some other reasons why it should be banned. 

(via redhairedhobbit-deactivated2012)