OMNI, ACLU celebrate 'right to read'
Kyla Jarrett, Contributing Writer
Issue date: 9/30/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology and the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union joined together this week to participate in September Banned Books Week. Local residents celebrated their freedom by reading an excerpt of a banned book this Wednesday at the OMNI Center.
Ann Heffernan, president of the NWA Chapter of ACLU, said the goal for this week is to make more people aware of the number and types of books that have been banned in the United States. Heffernan also wants people to know about current attempts to ban books from the Fayetteville Public School system.
Laurie Taylor, a parent who home schools her children, wanted three books to be taken off the shelves of the school library. When the books were removed, Taylor came up with a list of 54 to 70 more books that she wanted removed, Heffernan said.
In a meeting earlier this month, the Fayetteville School Board voted to return the three books to the library.
Participating for her first time, Janet Titus read from "It's Perfectly Normal," one of the books Taylor had tried to ban. The book was written for junior high school kids and gives a very detailed account of what happens during sex.
Heffernan read an excerpt from "To Kill a Mockingbird." This book has been banned 10 times since 1977 for its purported obscenity. Other books that were read included "Snow Falling on Cedars," "Age of Reason" and "Ulysses."
The ACLU and OMNI hold this event every year during the last week in September. The amount of people that attended this year was small, but the size of the group varies. Melanie Dietzel, vice president of OMNI, said it's important to protect our rights to read or they could all be taken away.
"It's not the group size, but making the statement that is important," said Dietzel.
Ann Heffernan, president of the NWA Chapter of ACLU, said the goal for this week is to make more people aware of the number and types of books that have been banned in the United States. Heffernan also wants people to know about current attempts to ban books from the Fayetteville Public School system.
Laurie Taylor, a parent who home schools her children, wanted three books to be taken off the shelves of the school library. When the books were removed, Taylor came up with a list of 54 to 70 more books that she wanted removed, Heffernan said.
In a meeting earlier this month, the Fayetteville School Board voted to return the three books to the library.
Participating for her first time, Janet Titus read from "It's Perfectly Normal," one of the books Taylor had tried to ban. The book was written for junior high school kids and gives a very detailed account of what happens during sex.
Heffernan read an excerpt from "To Kill a Mockingbird." This book has been banned 10 times since 1977 for its purported obscenity. Other books that were read included "Snow Falling on Cedars," "Age of Reason" and "Ulysses."
The ACLU and OMNI hold this event every year during the last week in September. The amount of people that attended this year was small, but the size of the group varies. Melanie Dietzel, vice president of OMNI, said it's important to protect our rights to read or they could all be taken away.
"It's not the group size, but making the statement that is important," said Dietzel.
