People, we live in the Internet age and there’s a world of information (much of it, shitty, or useless) to start banning there, yet when I Google “Do people try to ban websites,” I get a high percentage of posts regarding how to block people from your own websites. I suppose there are just too many people using the Internet to attempt to ban something? Maybe it’s because it’s self-published? It would be a lot more work than rallying a librarian or mayor or principal or whomever. Who exactly are the gatekeepers for the Internet? It’d be interesting to try to strike a bargain with Google. Not that I mind the small-minded, who are still trying to ban books. Just look at the publicity that the authors receive. Have you seen all the banned book chatter that goes on in September on the Internet? Let’s try to ban it.
Actually, it would be fantastic if authors could look at their books the way website owners look at their sites. Why not block the haters from the author’s material? Oh, you don’t have anything nice to say about my book? I’m sorry, I’m going to have to block you from ever commenting on it, checking it out from a library, or purchasing it. You can blog about how much you hate it, though. Just do it in your own corner of the Internet.
Summation: Banning books is to the public as outlawing the purchase of alcohol on Sunday is to Hoosiers.
Update: Apparently I’m super not paying attention to the news. Thanks to my friend Leah, I’ve learned that Uncle Sam may want to censor the Internet. If you don’t like what you read, sign the petition.
Jody Sparks Mugele 