A survey has shown that almost nine out of 10 Americans are against banning books that address slavery from public schools.
A Precursor to Authoritarianism
The survey was led by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and Brookings Institution. The data is hugely important as it reveals that the vast majority of Americans are against book bans, something which has historically been a precursor to authoritarianism.
The Important Numbers
The survey revealed that around 88% of Americans are against banning books that address important issues like slavery. Moreover, fewer than one in 10 respondents wanted to see such books banned.
Learning From the Past
Other issues were looked into too. The research found that around 84% of Americans aren’t keen on banning courses like AP African American History. Almost all respondents – 94% – agreed that “we should teach our children both the good and bad aspects of our history so that they can learn from the past.”
A Big Surprise
Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI, said: “This was somewhat of a surprise that such a big majority of Americans oppose these bans and want students to know the good and bad of history.”
Bible Classes in Public Schools
Interestingly, the survey also found that a small majority of Americans – 53% – would like to see elective courses on the Bible in public schools. Republicans, at 73%, were significantly more likely to hold this view compared to independents (52%) and Democrats (38%).
Book Banning in History
For most Americans, the revelation that the majority oppose book bans is likely a relief. Historically, the banning of books has been a precursor to authoritarianism, with the most obvious example being the actions of Nazi Germany.
The Far-Right’s Intentions
The Nazis took it upon themselves to burn books they disagreed with, usually targeting Jewish, communist, and liberal writers. The censorship was deliberate, designed to control public thought and indoctrinate the population with fascist ideology. While America’s far-right isn’t yet going as far as to burn the banned books, it’s clear its intentions are similar.
The Internet’s Response
The banning of books is something that has been discussed and debated in detail over the past few years. Reflecting the survey’s results, most social media users seem to oppose such legislation.
Banning Books About Banning Books
One commenter said: “It’s almost never actual obscene content that gets challenged. My favorite example of a book that has tried to get banned from schools is ‘Fahrenheit 451.’ On top of the irony that the central thing about the story is the literal burning of books, some complain about the foul language in the book. Come on, your kids are already saying a lot worse.”
A World Where All Books Are Banned
The commenter continued: “The religious have objected to it because a scene depicts the burning of a copy of the Bible. It’s absurd that they should be angry over this. The story depicts it being burned as a bad thing. The people doing the burning have no objection to the content of the Bible. They just are in a world where all books, regardless of content, are banned.”
A Terrifying Warning
One person compared Trump and America’s far-right to Hitler: “Before my grandmother died, we were watching the news during the Trump administration. This 98-year-old woman turned to me and said, ‘I’ve seen this before. I’ve seen someone like him and I’ve seen how bad it can get. He’s using all the same tricks. Don’t be like me and assume someone else will stop him. You need to vote. You need to protest. You need to stop these people.’”
Against Banning Books
Another commenter wrote: “I actually come from a very small, very conservative town. Surprisingly, they are very much against banning books. My mom tried to get my school to ban ‘Harry Potter’ when I was younger and they refused.”
A Culture War
Others blamed religious right-wingers: “[Book banning is] a culture war brought about by snowflakes on the religious right who are so insecure in their faith and morality that they feel the need to push their [views] on the rest of us through a religious legislative agenda. They’ve been doing it for years and they won’t stop because there is no limit to their insecurities and their perceived need to dominate other groups.”
Indoctrinating the Next Generation
Echoing the aforementioned individual, another person said: “Nobody is banning books because they are worried about harming kids. They’re doing it to limit content that is in opposition to their ideology and beliefs. It’s all part of the culture war and influencing the next generation to be part of their side.”
The Real Problem
Another commenter wrote: “Obviously, some books don’t belong in school libraries. The erotica genre, for example. But the problem is that these far-right psychopaths are trying to say that any book that so much as mentions LGBT people is… well, part of the erotica genre. If mentioning a straight romance isn’t pornographic, neither is mentioning a gay romance.”
A Lack of Freedom
Others called out the hypocrisy of freedom-loving patriots advocating for book bans: “It’s mind-blowing how the same people that are so patriotic and obsessed with freedom want this to happen. Growing up, I would hear that a lot of people thought Americans were stupid. Now I see why.”
The Nazi Parallels
Numerous commenters discussed the Nazi parallels: “Banning books is what Nazis did before they did the big stuff. I don’t think there’s going to be a moment where democracy ends and fascism begins. Democracy will continue to be eroded, vulnerable people targeted, the ruling class enriched, and people will always find a reason to say, ‘You’re overreacting. Our system is imperfect but it’s the best we have.’”
No True American
Another person said: “No American should ever support [book banning]. I’m actually blown away that this is even becoming a reality and there are so many who support this. You cannot ever call yourself a patriot, or a true American, or a lover of the Constitution if you support banning a book.”
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