U.S (JUST STRATEGY) : A battle cry for those who believe in the power of the written word.

 

 

 

Frieend,    At a time when knowledge is at our fingertips and multiculturalism is celebrated, it is a huge regression to see right-wing extremists on a mission to ramp up intellectual censorship. In the first half of the 2022-2023 school year alone, at least 1,477 book bans have been recorded, targeting at least 874 unique titles. Stories about people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized voices are being silenced, turning our libraries into echo chambers of the right wing's rhetoric rather than havens of diverse perspectives. This is not just an issue of educational quality. This is a war on freedom of speech, thought, and diversity. These bans are not only allowing an insidious form of intellectual control to take root, they are also failing our children, future leaders, and society by depriving them of the depth of human experience. Books about civil rights pioneers like Rosa Parks, or children's literature showcasing the natural diversity of love and family, such as stories about two male penguins raising a chick together, are not political threats. They are necessary tools for teaching empathy, acceptance, and understanding. Stand up for our libraries, schools, and students. Sign the petition: Stop the book bans and defend our right to read now. Add Your Name These right-wing extremists will not stop at the banning of individual books, instead, in a display of full-on authoritarianism, they are pushing for "wholesale bans" that effectively shutter libraries when broad swaths of books are challenged. This means that even if a book is later returned to the shelves, it is unavailable during long and cumbersome review processes, restricting access to critical knowledge and infringing on our rights to information. The consequences of this kind of censorship are grave. We risk creating a generation of students fueled by ignorance, intolerance, and bigotry. We risk undermining the very principles of freedom and democracy that our society is built upon. Above all, we risk losing the diverse voices that make up the rich tapestry of our shared human narrative. We cannot afford to stand by and let our right to read, to learn, to question, and to understand be curtailed. It is a fundamental part of our democratic society and our individual freedoms. We cannot let the voices of a few extremists dictate what knowledge we should have access to. We must assert that the power to decide what to read should remain firmly in the hands of readers, and not those who would limit our world to a single, narrow perspective. The time to act is now. We must rally against this widespread attempt at intellectual control. We must not let our stories, our history, and our diversity be erased. Sign the petition: Stop the book bans and defend our right to read now. Let us ensure that our libraries remain the bastions of free thought and intellectual exploration that they were always intended to be. LeeAnn Hall Director, National Campaign for Justice. DONATE

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