scott von berg (
scottobear) wrote2001-03-28 07:29 pm
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Church’s book burning gets attention
PITTSBURGH, March 28 — The Rev. George Bender says he never thought a little book burning would get so much publicity. But reporters have not stopped calling his tiny Harvest Assembly of God Church in rural western Pennsylvania since word got out that church members held a ceremonial burning of “ungodly” videotapes, music CDs and books, including some of Harry Potter’s fantasy tales.
you know, I have mixed feelings about this... it's not like they're destroying the original work, and I imagine they paid for the stuff, so they're free to do what they like. the symbolism there is queasy, though... like burning a flag, or a cross, or any other representation of meaning... something just feels wrong, but I suppose it's the intolerance behind it.
I wonder if the folks who get riled when the flag is burned will get as mad about an old Journey album, or harry potter...
I don't think I mind, on reflection... they're not banning the stuff, just expressing distaste in a rather loud fashion. I'd probably feel differently if they were burning one of a kind items, instead of mass produced ones... although, I have to wonder how they dealt with the burning CD's, if it's environmentally sound. They're not banning stuff, just expressing themselves in a way I find distasteful.
As far as keeping it from children, well, I'm all for letting parents dictate what the kids read, as long as society as a whole doesn't deem it damaging to the kids. Keeping stuff from adults however... that's a no-no.
PITTSBURGH, March 28 — The Rev. George Bender says he never thought a little book burning would get so much publicity. But reporters have not stopped calling his tiny Harvest Assembly of God Church in rural western Pennsylvania since word got out that church members held a ceremonial burning of “ungodly” videotapes, music CDs and books, including some of Harry Potter’s fantasy tales.
you know, I have mixed feelings about this... it's not like they're destroying the original work, and I imagine they paid for the stuff, so they're free to do what they like. the symbolism there is queasy, though... like burning a flag, or a cross, or any other representation of meaning... something just feels wrong, but I suppose it's the intolerance behind it.
I wonder if the folks who get riled when the flag is burned will get as mad about an old Journey album, or harry potter...
I don't think I mind, on reflection... they're not banning the stuff, just expressing distaste in a rather loud fashion. I'd probably feel differently if they were burning one of a kind items, instead of mass produced ones... although, I have to wonder how they dealt with the burning CD's, if it's environmentally sound. They're not banning stuff, just expressing themselves in a way I find distasteful.
As far as keeping it from children, well, I'm all for letting parents dictate what the kids read, as long as society as a whole doesn't deem it damaging to the kids. Keeping stuff from adults however... that's a no-no.
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Nice to make your acquaintance m'dear.
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Well, thank you! I hold both of those dear young ladies in high esteem, too. Welcome aboard!
Actually, I'm trying to pare my friend's list down to 50... but it's so hard to do! Instead, I read with filters and hope not to miss anything. Unlike Jen, sometimes I scan, instead of readnig the whole posts of folks...I'd like to get back to getting more into reading the full journal of people.
Having opinions can be a good thing, and so can being mouthy... as long as things are kept mostly kind and respectful, it shouldn't bug me. Rest assured, that I'll let you know otherwise.
A pleasure to meet you, I'm sure.
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And even with 35 on my list, I still scan.
Glad to be aboard!
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And book burnings make me think of the Nazis.
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late-night rambling
There are also the connotations. How can anyone be surprised that book-burning causes a furor, given the associations in so many people's minds? They're doing it because of its symbolic value; well, this is what the symbol means to other people.
On the one hand, people have the right to raise their own kids. On the other hand, no one has the right to harm their own kids, and where is the line? I think that teaching kids that Harry Potter is evil is silly and wrong, but I'm not the thought police, and eventually the kids will figure it out for themselves. Let the parents burn whatever books they want, I guess, as long as they're still available in the libraries (which in many cases, they're not).
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I actually thing book burning is fun. A couple of my friends and I actually do have a private annual book burning, where we take all the things that we've read in the past year that pissed us off, and we douse them with gas and light em up. it's very cathartic
As for parents rights, I think that people talk way too much about parent's rights. No idiot has the right to a child, unlike what people thing. IF you are a good parent, then a child has the right to you.