1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: M Hey everybody, it's me Josh and for this week's 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: s Y s K Selects, I've chosen How Book Banning Works, 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,399 Speaker 1: which is an episode we released all the way back 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: in two thousand and twelve, but it's as pertinent today, 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: sadly as it was back then. I hope you feel 6 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: inspired to go out and read a book that somebody 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: didn't want you to read, because you can enjoy. Welcome 8 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: to Stuff You Should Know, a production of My Heart 9 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: Radios How Stuff Works. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. 10 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: I'm Josh Clark. With me is Charles W. Chuck Bryant, 11 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: and this is stuff you should know. Do do do 12 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: do do do? Just just just did my little best anchor 13 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: man move, getting the papers all in order, reading the prompter. 14 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: Why wouldn't that be great? I don't feel so funny 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: these days. Man, Well, we need to get the teleprompter 16 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: writer to juice UF. You're through jokes. I agree. Everyone 17 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: knows that, right. We don't actually make any of this 18 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 1: stuff up. We have somebody right the show and we 19 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:11,559 Speaker 1: read it. This is a very very um well rehearsed, practiced, 20 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: labored podcast. That's right. I think this is the second 21 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: of two good topics today. Yeah. Part one a sexuality huh? 22 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: Part two banning books? Yeah, what do they have to 23 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: do with each other? Nothing? I thought I saw a 24 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: common thread. No that I've looked, I've forgotten it. But 25 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: yeah there was something discrimination maybe, I guess. So maybe 26 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: we'll find out. It'll pop up. Possibly it'll be like 27 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: the Peewee secret word of the day. Oh yeah, isn't 28 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: that what it was called? I think so many it 29 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: was cool? So you got an intro proper for this 30 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: or chuck? Yes, are you familiar with the last week 31 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: of September? Yeah you are, yeah, through it before. Yeah, 32 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: it's after the third week and before the first week 33 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: of October. That's exactly right. It just so happens that 34 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: that very weak is banned book week. Did not know 35 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: that existed? Well it does today it does. Yeah. Yeah, 36 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: you haven't heard a banned book week before? Uh? No 37 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: I have. I've seen like the subversive um displays outside 38 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: of b Dalton booksellers, and you know, and basically the 39 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: whole point of it is, it's like, hey, people have 40 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 1: tried to ban these books, so make sure you read 41 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: these because it means that there's somebody out there who 42 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: doesn't want you to. That's right. Hey, look what I've got. 43 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: I've got to kill a mocking bird over here. Yeah 44 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: that's a bit. Yeah. Yeah. So the whole point of 45 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: Banned Books Week is to celebrate intellectual freedom. That's because 46 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: there are people out there who would take that away 47 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: from you if they could. We know it. You go 48 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: back and listen to some of our podcasts, there's certain 49 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: words that were beeped out because the man has as 50 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: under his thumb. Thanks gi um So. I would strongly 51 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 1: recommend it's coming up. By the time this thing gets released, 52 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: will be in September. That's right. We should probably post 53 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: something about band book Week when it comes Okay, yeah, 54 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: September thirty through October six Actually, um so, truly the 55 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: first week in October this year. It's weird than they 56 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: would put it the last week of October, first week 57 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: of OCTOBERA or last week of September. Yeah, yeah, that 58 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: was confusing for a second. Let's let's talk band books man. 59 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: More than eleven thousand books have been challenged since Josh, 60 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: that's just since eighty two they've been I was reading 61 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: about The Catcher in the rye um. It came out 62 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: in Wow, man, I wish I knew it came out 63 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: in the either the late fifties or the early sixties. 64 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: At the late fifties or nineteen sixty, because in nineteen 65 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: sixty a teacher who assigned it to his class for 66 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: reading got fired. Really yeah, Um, it's one of my 67 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: favorite books, is it. Yeah? And it's one that I've 68 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: reread several times over the years, and it always takes 69 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: on a little different meaning depending on my age, which 70 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: is interesting. Ye have you read The Catcher's Companion? No, 71 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: that's we got that as a gift, right, No, I 72 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: haven't ready yet. It's just like footnotes and extrapolations and 73 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: explanations like this guy went into catching the World of 74 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: Catcher in the Rye and like made footnotes of the 75 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: whole thing. It's actually thicker than The Catcher in the 76 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: Rye by the way. Okay, so fifty one within nine 77 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: years somebody lost their job because they assigned that book 78 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: to read. That's pretty common. Usually with UM book banning, 79 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: it comes out of um the public school system. Um. Yeah, library, 80 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: So well, that's it's usually school libraries. So if you 81 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: go on the internet and you look for banned books, 82 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: you're going to find a lot of um uh confusion. 83 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 1: There's this body called the American Library Association, and a 84 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: lot of people think that they're in charge of banning books. 85 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: It's absolutely the opposite of the truth. The American Library 86 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: Association is a it's it's basically the librarians lobby, and 87 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: they're committed to no censorship whatsoever. Yeah, ask any librarian 88 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 1: and they're they're gonna probably be in favor of not 89 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: banning books right. Um. As a matter of fact, the 90 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: a LA maintains a library Bill of Rights, and in 91 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: this library Bill of Rights is a provision for the 92 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: free access to libraries for minors, which basically says this, 93 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: we have a bunch of books that we're not going 94 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 1: to make any judgments on. If we have a book 95 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 1: that you don't want your kid to read, it's your 96 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: job as their parents to monitor what they read, and 97 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 1: you can decide what they read or not, but you 98 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: that's it. Your opinion doesn't extend to anyone else's kids. 99 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: So that means that if you want to ban a book, 100 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: we're going to tell you no because you're responsible for 101 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: your child, but not everybody else's child too, which means, 102 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: in short, that the a l A doesn't censor books. 103 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: This is a big deal because this happens a lot. 104 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: There's eleven thousand challenges you said since two since nineteen 105 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: eighty two, and I think there were in two thousand eleven. 106 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: There were three hundred and twenty six challenges last year. Um. 107 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: A few of these are the Color of Earth series 108 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: by Kim Dong Hua and The Reasons Why, Nudity, sex education, 109 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: the Hunger Games trilogy, My Mom's Having a Baby, a 110 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: kid's month by month guide to pregnancy. But we certainly 111 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: don't want our kids to learn anything about that, No, 112 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: especially not with um mom, Uh, Brave New World by Huxley, insensitivity, nudity, racism, um, 113 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,679 Speaker 1: To Kill a Mockingbird, like we mentioned harper Ley's classic 114 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 1: because of offensive language and racism. And those are just 115 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: the few of the nine I'm sorry, ten most challenged 116 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: books of last year. Right. Um. You'll also of finding 117 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: just about every list. The most challenged series since two 118 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: thousand is the Harry Potter books. Um. They received three 119 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: thousand challenges. Um, and that was from up to I 120 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: believe like two thousand eight or nine, maybe to know 121 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: of two thousand ten. They were from two thousands to 122 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: two thousand ten, they received three thousand challenges and and 123 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: it was because it had satanic overtones or undertones, one 124 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: of the two, that's how or mid tones people challenging 125 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: it felt at least so for the most part, when 126 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,679 Speaker 1: you see a book being challenged your band, it's because 127 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: people are concerned about its influence on children. But as 128 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: we've seen, the American Library Association says, hey, man, kids, kids, 129 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: there's free There should be free access to information for kids. Yeah, 130 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: Judy Blooms Forever is one that's always on the list 131 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: too for that reason because it deals with a uh, 132 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: young girls, burgeoning sexuality and confusion and the awkwardness and 133 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: the thrill that comes along with that. And that is 134 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: that was a great description. Yeah from a forty one 135 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: year old man with a beard. Well, dude, that was 136 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: fourteen Once the girls and boys are all like, you know, 137 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: we're all scared and awkward and thrilled. So how do 138 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: you how do you do this man? How do you 139 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: how do you issue a formal challenge to a book? 140 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: And what does that consist of? What does it mean? 141 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: It means that you have gone to a library, a 142 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,119 Speaker 1: single library and said I want to challenge this book, 143 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: and the librarian decides whether or not to ban it. 144 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: So it's as simple as that. That's how book banning works. UM. 145 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: And you don't even have to use such lofty language 146 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: like I want to issue a challenge. You can just say, like, 147 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: this book needs to be taken out of this library. 148 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: This book is filth um, this book is pervasively vulgar. 149 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: That's a big one. Um. And the librarian at that 150 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: moment decides whether a book gets banned or not, and 151 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 1: for the most part, they air on the side of 152 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: not banning them. But when they say okay, let's take 153 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: that book out, that book has just been banned. So 154 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: it doesn't mean that a banned. That a book has 155 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: been banned, it doesn't mean it's been banned across the country, 156 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: although some some countries have like banned books and its entirety, 157 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: like the country's entirety. But in the US and in 158 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 1: the modern world, it usually means that somewhere in the 159 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 1: United States, there's a group of people, whether it's kids 160 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: in a school district or kids people who are served 161 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: by a public library, who don't have access to a 162 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:32,359 Speaker 1: certain book because one person found it offensive and convinced 163 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: the librarian to to make the decision for everybody else 164 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: based on that person's objections. That's a banned book, Yeah, 165 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: person or persons. A lot of times it's a group 166 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: pointed together with like a list, even, and they'll rally 167 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: the troops and say, you know, come on out from 168 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: your your homes and let's get together and submit a list. 169 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: And the librarians, like you said, most times will say 170 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: no because they generally have the courts on their side 171 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: if it gets to that point. For the most part, 172 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: the courts like to defend the right, you know, the 173 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:08,680 Speaker 1: First Amendment. But I mean, think about that pressure, especially 174 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: if you, like you are a school librarian and the 175 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: school board is telling you, like, hey, don't forget what 176 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: we you employ you, and we're telling you remove this book, 177 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: and the librarians like, no, ts, that's that's against the 178 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: First Amendment. Um, so should talk about some of the laws. 179 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: I think we should. Let's talk about Do you want 180 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 1: to talk about the history of it? Yeah? Um who 181 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: wrote this one? I think this was congered too, and 182 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: I don't think so. Oh yeah, it was a freelancer, Okay. Um, 183 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: you know, basically since the days of Socrates, they've been 184 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:45,719 Speaker 1: trying to ban teachings of some sort. At the other um, 185 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: he was heavily scrutinized, and back then if you wanted 186 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: to ban something, he just burned the few copies of 187 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: it that existed and there was no problem. He was 188 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: made to drink hemlock for what he for what? T Yeah? 189 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: But yeah, I feel like if there's two copies of 190 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 1: in existence and you get both copies and you set 191 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: them on fire, and then what happened? What came along 192 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: well the printing press and all of a sudden you 193 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: had to officially try and ban a book because there 194 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: were too many to gather up and burn. And you 195 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: remember the Star Chamber starring Michael Douglas. Did you ever 196 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: watch that? They were the real Star Chamber? Did you? 197 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: Did you? There was a real okay, so the real 198 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: Star Chamber UM that was I think created in Stuart England. 199 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: Um Stewart era England. Man, I probably shouldn't even say that, 200 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: because I'm not sure. In England in the seventeenth century, 201 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 1: there was a group of judges that were in charge 202 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: of like they were like the elite judges. They were 203 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: the censor board. Basically was one of their roles, and 204 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: then Henry the Eighth came along and got rid of them, 205 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: but he started his own kind of censorship with licensing laws. 206 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: They basically said that the state had the opportunity to 207 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: censor things before they were even published. So that was 208 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: one of the earliest forms of straight up book banning, 209 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: book censorship. Good point, it happened a long time ago. Yeah. 210 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: Two Board of Education Island Trees School District v. Piko. Yeah, 211 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: that's a mouthful. Um. They said basically that you couldn't 212 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: remove library material just because like a school official doesn't 213 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: agree with the ideas. They said that the books on 214 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: the on their list were quote just plain filthy, and 215 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: some people said, now you were going to sue you 216 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: for that? Well, the Supreme Court said, so basically, it 217 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: has to be pervasively vulgar. I guess that's why they 218 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: use those words, because that's what they can actually ban 219 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: a book if who finds it that is there. I 220 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: think society basically well, for for the most part, um 221 00:12:55,080 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: as far as books go, for banning a book really 222 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: tough to do, as once it reaches the Supreme Court, 223 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: they're going to be like, no, it's a book put 224 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: it back. It's obscenity. That's not protected at all. Right, Well, 225 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: because the kicker there is the number three rule that 226 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: they decided, you know, should be used to determine if 227 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: something is I guess filthy, was it could contain no literary, artistic, political, 228 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: or scientific value. And that's the one where you know, 229 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: you can pretty much say claim any book has value 230 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: like that. That's how we have hardcore pornography. Still, I'm sorry, 231 00:13:35,200 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: so you can say this is art that's true. Um 232 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:14,439 Speaker 1: So that that case, that two um Island Trees case 233 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: or Pico case, I don't know what they call it, 234 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: that was a really big deal because it took place 235 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: in a school library and um it basically the Supreme 236 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: Court said school libraries are special places. Schools are places 237 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: of inquiry, and so their repository of knowledge, meaning their library, 238 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: has special protection. Like we understand that you're worried about 239 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: the children's minds being corrupted, but you don't get to 240 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: decide that, like, this is information that's out there, and 241 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: as long as it's basically not like hardcore pornography, child pornography, 242 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: obscenity like it should it has every right to be 243 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: in there. Under the first first Amendment. It was a 244 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: big deal. It was a big deal. Uh. So was 245 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: I remember this one because I was on a newspaper 246 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: staff at the time and I got interviewed for the news. 247 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, like the local news came out Hazelwood 248 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: School District v uh kur maya. Um. That was very 249 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: famously when newspaper. High school newspapers basically were said to 250 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: not have the same rights as like if you were 251 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: an adult running a newspaper, and it was not a 252 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: form of public expression, so schools could, uh, in the end, 253 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: kind of censor what was going in these things, at 254 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: least in like school curriculum. I thought it was in 255 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 1: the paper in the paper too. I'm sorry, I thought 256 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: you meant in these things meaning libraries. Yeah, no, no no, no, 257 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: in the in the but it was extended into classroom 258 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: curriculum too like that, which was a big deal. Yeah. 259 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: Did you read that article about Texas. Yeah, let's get 260 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: to that. You want to Yeah, okay, So, um, Texas 261 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: has this um very controversial textbook review committee that wields 262 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: a lot of power because textbook or Texas is the 263 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: biggest textbook buyer in the country, and so if you're 264 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: a textbook manufacturer and one state is ordering most of 265 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 1: your textbooks, You're just gonna print one and send it 266 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: to everybody. Yeah. It's basically Texas and California are the 267 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: two states that wield the most power because they spend 268 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: the most dough because they have the most school aged 269 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: kids basically, right, exactly, so they basically say what Texas 270 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: decides goes in their textbooks goes in the textbooks for 271 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: a lot of other states as well, not just Texas. Right. Yeah. 272 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: I looked at the expense of a textbook and I 273 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: think one of the manufacturers said something like several million 274 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: dollars can go into a like a major biology textbook 275 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: because of like the illustrations and everything that goes into it. 276 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: And they're like, we can't make one of these for 277 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: Texas and one for other states. It's just everyone's gonna 278 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: get Texas version of the truth. Exactly. So Texas has 279 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: this committee that is largely conservative that um starting and 280 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 1: I think two thousand nine, uh basically held hearings on 281 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: revisions that they wanted to see done to social studies curriculum. 282 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: These are elected people too, by the way, which is 283 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: important because apparently a lot of them can buy their 284 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:17,120 Speaker 1: way right on that list. Okay, so social studies, you've 285 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: got history, sociology, economics, and um. A lot of the 286 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: stuff that they were adding in there were like, um, 287 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: I guess kind of slanted everything toward a little more 288 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: towards the idea that the founders of the United States 289 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: were Christian. Um, that the the they One of the 290 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: things they wanted to get in there was not just 291 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 1: Martin Luther King's non violent civil rights protests, but the 292 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: Black Panthers violent civil rights protests were another one. Um. 293 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 1: And if you're a conservative, you you're like, well, okay, 294 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 1: I I agree with a lot of what these people 295 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: are saying. The problem is is what they were saying 296 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 1: was that there's a liberal slant to ecademy and that 297 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: they were taking it upon themselves to correct that by 298 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: putting a conservative slant. Yeah. One of the other amendments 299 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,400 Speaker 1: was to cut Thomas Jefferson from a list of figures 300 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,719 Speaker 1: who inspired revolutions of the late eighteenth century in nineteenth century, 301 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: and they said let's replace him with Thomas Akenis and 302 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: John Calvin instead. Another one in economics, um, they wanted 303 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: to add Milton Friedman and Friedrich von Hayek, champions of 304 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: the free market economic theory. To the list of economist 305 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,919 Speaker 1: studies we talked about, well, Milton Friedman in one where 306 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 1: basically he used Chile as a laboratory for UM reagan 307 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: Omics before Reagan was president, the trickle down economic Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 308 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: I remember that. UM and then one of the ones 309 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: that was shot down by Democrat Mavis Knight, wanted to 310 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,159 Speaker 1: introduce an amendment requiring students study the reasons for the 311 00:18:54,200 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 1: founding Fathers protecting a religious freedom by not saying one 312 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: religion is good above all else. And that was actually 313 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: struck down. They said, you can't put that in this book. Right, 314 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 1: she was a Democrat who introduced it. Yeah, it was public. 315 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: The Conservatives said no, Well they you know, basically vote 316 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: along party lines. So the vote was tend to four 317 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: or whatever it is. So it was a big deal, 318 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: like it had. It was one of those things that 319 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: kind of went under reported and underestimated. But there's a 320 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: really good documentary out there that came out and I 321 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: think two thousand nine, the Revisionaries UM and I think 322 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: it's up on Netflix streaming right now. It is Scott 323 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: Thurman and uh al I saw it was a trailer, 324 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: but it looked pretty good, and I mean it was 325 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: a big deal. It's not just like some people in 326 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: Texas want to change some textbooks. It's like has national implications, right, 327 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: It's an info war basically, And that's what book banning 328 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 1: is based on. In a lot of ways as well. 329 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: It's like if you can remove a different viewpoint, especially 330 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: when when it's being presented to kids, and you can 331 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: keep that viewpoint from taking from German eating in there 332 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: and they're emerging mind or worldview absolutely, and so books 333 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: like UM, Daddy's New Roommate gets banned. Yeah, about a 334 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: boy whose dad has a new boyfriend. Now he's a 335 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: divorced dad and his new roommate moves in as gay 336 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: and UM Sarah Palin herself asked for that to be 337 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: removed from the library when she was UM the mayor 338 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: of Wasilla, Alaska. Oh yeah, I remember that. And that 339 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: guy came out and said that woman is my mortal enemy. 340 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 1: Really and thanks for the press. That's what he should 341 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,400 Speaker 1: have said to UH. In the meantime, in Texas, UM 342 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:47,880 Speaker 1: Mary Helen Barlanga UM has tried repeatedly to get Latino 343 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 1: figures um included in textbooks as role models for the 344 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 1: large Hispanic population in Texas, and she's been repeatedly denied, 345 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: to the point where in two thousand ten she stopped 346 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: out of a meeting saying, they can't just pretend this 347 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: is white America and that we don't exist. These aren't experts, 348 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: these aren't historians. They're just rewriting history. So pretty hard words. Yeah, 349 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: things job. Do you want to hear some other challenged authors, 350 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: Let's man, because there's there's challenges all over the place, 351 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: apparently Judy Bloom of course, Robert Cormier or Cormier? Uh, 352 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: did you ever read I Am the Cheese when you're 353 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: growing up? Nope? Or The Chocolate War. I think I 354 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 1: read that one Great books band many times. J. K. Rowling, 355 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,679 Speaker 1: she is uh, like I said, she is, I guess 356 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: of the devil because a lot of people have a 357 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,680 Speaker 1: problem with the Harry Potter books. Um, Katherine Patterson Bridge 358 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 1: to Terri Bethia, I'm Stephen King may Angelou can't have 359 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: any of that. Yeah. The Alabama State Textbook Committee said that, um, 360 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: I know why the Cage Bird Sings encourages bitterness toward 361 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: white people. R. L. Stein who was sort of like 362 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: a Stephen King for kids. Yeah, goose Bumps. Yeah, and uh, 363 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 1: I think I actually worked on one of his little 364 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: TV shows, The Nightmare Room was a nightmare room, I 365 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: think so, uh yeah, back in the day. And John Steinbeck, 366 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: of course, yeah, in nine of Mice and Men was 367 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: banned in Chattanooga because Steinbeck was well known for his 368 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:55,639 Speaker 1: anti business attitude. Um. And then Alvin Schwartz was number 369 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 1: one and hero one of my favorite sets of books, 370 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: scary stories to tell him the Dark. I never heard 371 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: of this. Oh man. They were scary with the most 372 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: ghastly illustrations you've ever seen. They're awesome. And those bands 373 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: because they're scary, and I guess so I was probably 374 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: satanic to um. So we were talking about how if 375 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: if a book is challenged, UM, it's probably if it 376 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: gets to the Supreme Court, Supreme Court is probably gonna 377 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 1: rule in favor of the librarian who said no. Um. 378 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: But that's that's not the case with obscenity, like obscene 379 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 1: literature like it is specifically excluded in US case law 380 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: from First Amendment protection. And that's kind of emerged over 381 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: the years, um, starting in eighteen seventy three with the 382 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: Comstock laws. It basically said like you can't sell obscene 383 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: literature in interstate commerce, right, and then people are like, okay, 384 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: well then we we won't or don't enforce or whatever, 385 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: and it just kind of went went enforced or unchallenged 386 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,239 Speaker 1: for like three quarters of a century. And then in 387 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: the fifties you had um Roth versus the United States, 388 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: where all of a sudden, we're like, wait, we need 389 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: to start explaining what obscenity is because you can't just 390 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 1: say that's just whatever. That's what they started as though, 391 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 1: Like in the fifties they basically said obscenity pornography basically 392 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: is what that means um has utterly or is utterly 393 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:37,239 Speaker 1: without um social value. That was a big quote, so 394 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: that basically was a mark against anybody who's pro obscenity, right. 395 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 1: And then in the seventies there was one called Miller 396 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: versus California, and this guy basically sent out a mass 397 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 1: mailer chuck of an advertisement for his adult magazines. So 398 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: everybody got him old people, kids, housewives, business meant everybody 399 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 1: into their mail that they opened it up and like 400 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 1: there's like, basically obscene advertising, and so California arrested the 401 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: guy and it went to trial, and the Supreme Court said, okay, um, yes, 402 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: obscenities not protected, but we need to say what obscenity is. 403 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 1: And they came up with this three point test called 404 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: the Miller tests, which is has that one problem you 405 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 1: were talking about her? Yeah. The third one is no 406 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: no artistic merit basically literary, political, or scientific value. Which 407 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 1: it's probably the terms that they nailed this guy for. Yeah. 408 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: You know, if it was just a flyer of like 409 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,120 Speaker 1: pornographic ads, he couldn't really say no, this is literature, 410 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: like check these out. Um. The other two were involved 411 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: patently offensive sexual conducts or appeal to prurient interest. When 412 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: taken as a whole, there it is. That's what connected 413 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: a sexuality curient is that it? Yeah, um, but the 414 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: big point with those, chuck, is that, um, the the 415 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: prurient interest is local, so basically like if everybody in 416 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 1: your town would be offended by this, then that's the 417 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:11,680 Speaker 1: local judgment that's for that standard. But then the scientific 418 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 1: artistic literary standard is national, so like if your town 419 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: thinks it's science, but your town is a note as 420 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: talking about that's not a standard, right, So that's obscenity, 421 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: that's subscendity. But the good thing is it's like, if 422 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: you are trying to um ban something as obscene, the 423 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: burden of proof is on you to prove these three 424 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: This thing passes all three points of the Miller type, 425 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,399 Speaker 1: that's true, and that's a tough, tough burden to get 426 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:41,639 Speaker 1: passed into court. Is tough. I'm surprised that more book 427 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 1: banning fans aren't trying to infiltrate the library community, you 428 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. I think they do constantly. Librarians. Yeah, 429 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:54,640 Speaker 1: I don't know. I mean, if that's where the power is, 430 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:59,880 Speaker 1: I think the librarians like really um like the library industries. Yeah, 431 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,199 Speaker 1: it's very powerful, and like if they find out that 432 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,400 Speaker 1: you're you're a wolf in sheep's clothing, they'll kill you. Boy, 433 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: have you ever talked to librarians. Chris Poulette here is 434 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: a librarian. They're really passionate, passionate people. It's it's it's 435 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: almost like a public service in a way. Yeah, because 436 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: I'm sure they don't make a lot of dough and 437 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 1: they just all really believe in knowledge and protecting, protecting freedoms. Yeah, 438 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: it's pretty cool. Yeah, librarians. Yeah, could give your local 439 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 1: librarian a pat on the back today. Yeah, give him 440 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: a hug. Ask him first and then give him a hug. 441 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:33,159 Speaker 1: And if they say no, don't give him a hug, right, 442 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 1: just shake their hand and politely not Yeah, maybe a 443 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: Curtesy and um, that's great, Chuck, I like the courtesy. 444 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 1: Al Right, Well, if you want to learn more about 445 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: banned books, we suggest you go to the a l 446 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: A site. Uh it's I believe a la dot com. 447 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: And then you can also write in banned books in 448 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,440 Speaker 1: the search bar at how stuff works dot com and 449 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: it's going to bring up this, uh, really great article. Finally, 450 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: it's time for a listener Matt Okay, Josh, I'm gonna 451 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: call this disco fever from Diane in Kentucky. Hey, guys, 452 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: your disco episode brought back fond memories for me. In 453 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: the summer of nine, I was in my early twenties 454 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: and I've just made it from the Sticks to the 455 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 1: big city, New York City. It's a big city. I 456 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: had very little money, the city's infrastructure was crumbling. Then 457 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: this kind of what we pointed out, you know, the 458 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: bad economy, and I was separated from my boyfriend by 459 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 1: a continent, a bigger obstacle in those days before cell phones, 460 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: in the internet and reasonable airfairs. Like that was back 461 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: when a long distance relationship was like serious. You know, 462 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: um remember those days, like is it long distance? Don't 463 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,960 Speaker 1: talk too long? It's long distance? Yeah, Now it's like what, Yeah, 464 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: I forgot about that, um ten, ten to twenty or whatever, 465 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 1: Like certain times a day we're cheaper or something. No, 466 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: there's like a number you could dial out, like real 467 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: cheap long distance, remember that, I think is one. I 468 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: was questioning the decisions I had made in my life, 469 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: and it was pretty much a struggle for me. But 470 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: I had disco. I would go with a guy friend 471 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: to a place on Third Avenue that was more or 472 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: less the equivalent of an Applebee's with disco music and 473 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: a dance floor complete with disco ball. It certainly wasn't 474 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: what you would call a discothequer or a cool played 475 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: by any stretch of the imagination. But she was broke 476 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: and we could order the cheapest thing on the menu 477 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: and spend a whole night dancing. I was completely oblivious 478 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: to any social or cultural implications of the music, but 479 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: just knew that it was cheap entertainment and so much fun. Yes, 480 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 1: the lyrics were silly and the beat was rather unimaginative, 481 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: but coming off the era of Vietnam, Watergate and a 482 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: plethora of social upheavals, that was the great part of 483 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: the appeal. Dancing to disco and laughing at the lyrics 484 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: was play. It was easy to learn the moves and 485 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: much for her, not for me. Uh, and much more 486 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: fun than the mindless dancing um which attended rock music, 487 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: which I like to listen to. But let's face at 488 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: dancing to rock music it's pretty boring, pretty fast. I 489 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: don't know if I thought it was the best disco song, 490 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: but one of the most fun and exhilarating and inanely 491 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: silly for me was Donna Summers MacArthur Park. Still brings 492 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 1: a smile to my face just thinking about it. I 493 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 1: didn't know Donna Summers, did MacArthur Park. I had listen 494 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: to that. Then. That was Diane Rally in Louisville, Kentucky. 495 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: Huh So glad we could bring back some good memories 496 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:26,959 Speaker 1: there for you. Yeah, thanks a lot, Diane and Salston 497 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 1: and we heard from a lot of people who are 498 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: like guys, you're saying that, Um, if I hate discoats 499 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: because I'm homophobic, don't be stupid. No, we didn't say 500 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: that specifically. We said, if you hate disco outright with 501 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: a burning passion, but for no real reason, you can't 502 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: really tell why it's getting to you like this, maybe 503 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: it's time to step back in examine it. Sure. We 504 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: also said that there's plenty room for people who just 505 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 1: don't like disco, just don't like the music, and it 506 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 1: doesn't mean you're hobopholic, so of course, lighten up and 507 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: listen more clearly. Um, if you want to get in 508 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: touch with me and Chuck, you can tweet, tweet to us, 509 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 1: twit um to s y s K podcast. You can 510 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: also join us on Facebook dot com slash Stuff you 511 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: Should Know. You can also read us the Riot Act 512 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: via via email, uh tow stuff podcast at how stuff 513 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: Works dot com. Stuff you Should Know is a production 514 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: of iHeart Radio's How Stuff Works. For more podcasts for 515 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 516 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. H