Ok, it's a bit late in the week. I meant to post something on this earlier.

However, it *is* still banned books week for the next few days at least, and I've been having a ton of fun this week so far.

If you haven't heard of it, you can read more here. [link]

It's about celebrating the first amendment, and (in my own words) rebelling against school and libraries that try to censor what we read, which is wrong in too many ways to count.

I think my most personal encounter with censorship came in seventh grade. It's a memory I'd almost forgotten, but this week brought back pretty vividly.

A friend had recommended The Color Purple to me, by Alice Walker. Not one to turn down a recommendation, and knowing the title as one I had meant to read, I skipped off that day to the school library.

I couldn't find it on the shelves, thought it must be checked out, went to the desk to check.

"The Color Purple? I'm pretty sure we don't carry that."

I think I asked why, she told me they had complaints, they weren't allowed anymore. She seemed sad. Mentioned that her daughter in college had read it. That I'd have to find it somewhere else, but I should tell her what I thought of it when I did.

I ended up finding a copy in an English teacher's classroom. She still made me bring a note from home, saying I had my parents' permission to read it.

They gave it, of course. Should I feel lucky that they would never try to censor what I read? It seems like a given to me. But I suppose the fact that there are parents (and school boards and libraries) that *wouldn't* is the entire point of Banned Books week. And that, to me, is infinitely sad.

So Banned Books week is important to me. The Freedom to read what we want- to think what we want, should be such a basic thing. Reading to me is right up there with food and breathing, and I try not to let others dictate when I'm allowed to do that, either.

For my own personal celebration, I've of course been reading banned/challenged books, some old favorites and some I've never read before. I made a shirt, too, which I'll put pictures of up later, as it's awesome. I'll probably still be celebrating well after Banned Books week ends, on the third. In fact, who's up for Banned Books Month? Congratulations, October. You just became even cooler than you already were. Ghosts, Goblins, and controversial literature.

That's a winning combination.