Bans are censorship. It’s not a slippery slope. It’s happening in a lot of places. And it’s two-sided. One of them is promising and one of them is worrying.
The worrying part is that there are republicans and people like Moms for Liberty who want to deprive individuals of stories. Of perspectives. Who want to impose their will on others.
On the promising side, when book bans are revealed, people want to seek them out and learn new ideas they find persuasive.
If they hear or read the story of what Black lives experience in America, they will understand better what it’s like to be a Black person in America. And they’re going to understand people’s demands on that basis.
If people read the stories of LGBTQ+ individuals in America and across the world, they will understand what it’s like to live that way and what people face. And they’re going to be more understanding and loving towards one another.
And so this is about power and the fear of losing it.
Loss of not only political power but also fear of the loss of control and dominance over the cultural narrative about who gets to determine the story of America.
There’s both a danger and a promise.
And so the antidote to that is making sure people get new ideas and have access to new ideas that are persuasive. This will win people over to become better people and better citizens.