Unbiased Reviews by Real People
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Unbiased Reviews by Real People
Banned Books Champion Judith Krug Will Be Heard No MoreJul 20, 2009 (Updated Nov 13, 2009) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Thank you Judith Krug for your tireless commitment to individual rights and freedoms.
Judith Krug March 15, 1940 - April 11, 2009 A strong voice and advocate for free expression and intellectual freedom passed away April 11, 2009, and she will be missed. Judith Krug fought tirelessly against censorship by building supportive coalitions with publishers, booksellers, schools, lawyers, authors, journalists and other librarians to create a unified voice for intellectual freedom. She helped establish policies and case studies to support libraries involved in censorship incidents. She was deeply committed to tightening the First Amendment rights to intellectual freedom. Judith Krug was frequently found testifying before Congress or in the courts; she became the willing media go-to-person when censorship debates rose to a national level. For more than 40 years she worked to inspire librarians about the individual’s right to read and she championed those books that were repeatedly challenged. Banned Books Week Judith Fingeret Krug founded the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, an annual week-long event that celebrates the freedom to choose and the freedom to express one’s opinion. Earlier in 2009 she received the William J. Brennan Jr. Award for her “remarkable commitment to the marriage of open books and open minds.” Krug was only the fifth person to receive the award since 1993. The award recognizes a person or group that demonstrates a commitment to the principles of free expression followed by the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice. At the time of her death she served as the director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom and had since 1967. How many of us can demonstrate that level of commitment? Banned Books Week, one of her numerous projects, serves to increase awareness of the issues while celebrating the freedom to read and the “freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.” Those of us at Epinions frequently and openly express our honest and very real opinions and occasionally they’re not those shared by everyone. Yet, they are our opinions based upon knowledge, experience, and emotions. Beginning in 2006, less than one year after submitting my first review at Epinions, I offered the first Banned Books Write Off. This year’s write off will be the fourth and I’m going to dedicate it to the founder, Read Banned Books and Celebrate the Freedom to Read (In Honor of Judith Krug). Banned Books Week is September 26 – October 3 this year and I will officially begin accepting entries August 15. I will post an announcement. If you’re on my list as a contributor from previous write offs I’ll send you a reminder as we approach the end of August. If you want to be on that list let me know and I’ll include you (be sure I have your email address). Prepare now by searching the American Library Association’s various lists, as well as a bibliography that identifies books banned or challenged in 2008/2009, to locate a book for reviewing. I never cease to be amazed by the books that make parents and schools nervous. Please include a link to this Write Off in your review as well as an explanation as to why it was challenged or banned. Email me your submission and a comment with this announcement. You know how this works. I will place your review link in this as soon as possible. I look forward to your contributions -- these are some of my favorite reviews. My lengthier bottomline: Silent champions work tirelessly behind the scenes supporting rights we assume and take for granted but when these heroes die they should be recognized for their contributions and in some cases we should worry -- who dares to walk in those empty shoes -- and did they part us knowing their efforts were appreciated? The following are links to the most challenged books of 2009 and years before. ALA Banned Books Lists http://tinyurl.com/ls9w3g Banned Books Write Off #2 Banned Books Write Off #3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more information about Judith Krug’s contributions and memories of Judith: www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/index.cfm Entries for 2009: The first entry has been received from scmrak, Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper. Uncle Bobby's Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen from scmrak Bendiceme, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, a third contribution from scmrak Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher, from scmrak A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck, submitted by me. The Witches by Roald Dahl also submitted by me. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, a final entry from me. Literature Suppressed on Social Grounds by Dawn B. Sova, submitted by me The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, submitted by Stephen_Murray Schooled by Gordon Korman with thanks to Millinocket Bless Me Ultima, a second contribution from Millinocket Blubber, by Judy Blume, a third contribution from Millinocket. Dr Dolittle A Treasury by Hugh Lofting commented on by jankp Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, a second contribution from jankp Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, from jankp Obscene in the Extreme: The Burning and Banning of John Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath by Rick Wartzman and probably jankp's final contribution (so she claims -- we'll see) The Stupids Step Out by Harry Allard and submitted by driftless The Story of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman, illustrated by Christopher Bing, and submitted by sleeper54 Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, a second contribution from sleeper54 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, submitted by befus l8r,g8r by Lauren Myracle, contributed by dramastef Twilight by Stephenie Meyer contributed by bilbopooh Diary of a Young Girl By Anne Frank by Anne Frank, submitted by msiduri Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya from jurgrace In The Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak and submitted by jurgrace Love Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle and submitted by jurgrace. Bless Me Ultima (by Rudolfo Anaya) contributions: sleeper54 jankp millinocket jurgrace This is a first, a movie entry, but it's definitely appropriate. Smothered, the Smothered Brothers, from quasar  |
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