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Sex And Violence at The Library
"Harry Potter" "Captain Underpants"
"The Earth, My Butt, And Other Big, Round Things"
The Office for Intellectual Freedom, a department of the American Library Association, tracks
complaints against books in taxpayer-funded libraries, including those in public schools.
Every year the office publishes a list of the top ten books that have come under fire.
In the 21st century, "Harry Potter" has topped the list twice, as has "Captain Underpants".
While young Mr Potter was condemned for dabbling in Satanism and the occult, it is for ***
content and violence that most of the books have been challenged over the last sixteen
years.
Given objections to sex and violence, it might surprise some that the Holy Bible, with its
genocide, ***, human sacrifice, and donkey ***, has never made the list. In 2015, it
finally did, coming in at number six, four places ahead of "Two Boys Kissing". But it
wasn't for sex and violence. Rather, the Bible was considered offensive due to its religious
viewpoint. While it is by far not the first book to be thus challenged, it is likely the
first that promotes Christianity.
The Office for Intellectual Freedom insists that public libraries must present all points
of view equally, with no allowances made for doctrinal disapproval.
"The Earth, My Butt, And Other Big, Round Things" took fourth place in 2006 and eighth
in 2009, for anti-family sentiment, offensive language, and of course, sex.
A Nation within a Nation
A recent poll has presented a problem which, according to Trevor Phillips who once headed
the Equality and Human Rights Commission, describes the state of Muslim integration
into British society as 'Extremely Worrying'. Muslims in many western democracies have a
much higher tendency to separate into isolated communities that resist integration, and are
at odds with the general population on matters such as women's rights, and homosexuality.
An especially contentious point in a recent poll on behalf of Britain's Channel 4 finds
controversy on whether gays should ever be allowed to work as educators; or whether an
orientation different from the norm should even be 'legal'. Over half of all British
Muslims (52%) disagree that homosexuality should be permissible in Britain, compared
with 5% in the general population. Many Muslims in Britain avoid these awkward
conversations when possible, even leading to reports of large segments of gay British
Muslims feeling forced to remain closeted while living in straight marriages. Some,
like Naz Mahmood, feel they have no other option but suicide should their parents discover
their true orientation, even as adults.
According to Phillips, Muslims have a center of gravity that is distinct from that of everyone
else's public opinion on most social issues. Terrorism and foreign relations are also hot
topics for the Channel 4 survey by ICM. The sampling of a thousand Muslims and 1,008 control-group
British found that a lesser degree of integration with the broader society increases sympathy
with suicide bombings, the desire for Sharia Law, and hostility towards basic liberties
for women.
In light of these findings, Trevor Harris calls for a more 'muscular' approach to integration.
Making history
According to a recent religious declaration on same-sex marriage, this organization has
just announced “A historic decision that marks a shift in the church’s teaching on
marriage.” However, this landmark decision redefining religious liberty will allow for
abstention for priests who disagree with this ruling in Favor of same-sex couples.
Unsurprisingly, the Church in question is in fact, not the Catholic Church but rather
the Church of Norway. A substantial majority of that country’s churches voted on April
11th in favor of Gay marriage ceremonies within the Church. It is noteworthy that Norway's
official state church is the Evangelical Lutheran Church, founded by the same Martin Luther
who used 'The Unspeakable Crime' of Sodomy as a weapon against his Catholic opponents.
What was once unspeakable is now celebrated in buildings that bear his name, and across
the country of Norway.
"Finally we can celebrate love independently of whom one falls in love with," according
to Gard Sandaker-Nilsen, leader of the Open Public Church, long in favor of this advancement.