On censorship and the importance of reading
I think book censorship is a ridiculous idea and shielding children from some issues is hardly a way to make them more compassionate. I don't believe that if one reads a book which portrays bad treatment of African Americans during slavery, one will become racist. If anything it will have the opposite effect. I believe that a child who is exposed to a wide variety of different literature will be more sensitive to the feelings of others, than a child who only reads 'politically correct' and 'age appropriate' literature. I also believe that from knowledge comes compassion, among other things. Even according to Socrates virtue was based upon knowledge.
I feel that reading gives children an opportunity to experience situations and go through emotions that they might not have an opportunity to experience in real life. Of course, the disadvantage of being a well-read person at a young age is that literature gives you (at times) wrong ideas about people. In reality many people are not as complex or noble as many literary characters are, friends are not as loyal and evil cannot be bargained with. However, I still believe that no literary work should ever be censored or banned under the pretext that it might be offensive to somebody.
