Speak Loudly and Enter a Sasquatch Giveaway…Sort of

I’m pretty sick right now. This is sort of what I look like:

(Found at DailyHaHa.com)

And when you feel like this and start to wonder if perhaps you might be the mythical Sasquatch, blogging falls pretty low on the list of priorities.

And yet

I’ve been hearing all sorts of talk about censorship the last couple of day, thanks to a certain Mr. Scroggins who would like to see books like Laurie Halse Anderson’s SPEAK banned from schools, and it’s bothered me enough that’s it’s pulling me out of my Sasquatch hibernation. Now, I respect Mr. Scroggins’ opinion, and I would never try to take away his right to express it.

But I reserve the right to disagree.

Rape is a dirty  four letter word. I can understand why someone wouldn't want to read about it. It’s ugly and life-shattering. But it’s real and it happens. And it happens to young girls. All. The. Time. And it’s books like SPEAK that might help a rape survivor find a way out of the silence that often results from her victimization. And her only access to such a book might be in school.

I believe in a parent’s right to protect her child. I GET this. I carefully screen the movies my children watch, and I read the books they read. But I would never presume to know what is best for someone else’s child. I expect the same sort of respect from others. My children are mine. I determine what they’re exposed to. No one is allowed to speak for me.

If Mr. Scroggins' intent was to shed some light on books like SPEAK, he has succeeded.

I’ve been hanging on to this bracelet wondering when I might give it away. Now’s a good time, don’t you think?

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In honor of Banned Books Week, I’m giving away:

Banned Book Bracelet

Each charm is the cover of a YA banned book, except for one charm which reads: “I read banned books”

2 copies of SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson

And because I think it’s an important issue:

Pre-order of THE MOCKINGBIRDS by Daisy Whitney

My review of THE MOCKINGBIRDS

To enter my Banned Books Giveaway


Just fill out this form. That’s it. Giveaway ends Sunday, September 26, so, you know, hurry….




BANNED BOOKS GIVEAWAY FORM


(Will ship internationally)

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When you’re done entering my giveaway, go check out some of these other posts on this #SpeakLoudly issue.



Laurie Halse Anderson: This guy thinks SPEAK is pornography

Casey McCormick: Speak Loudly

Myra McEntire: Speak Loudly in Defense of Laurie Halse Anderson

Beth Revis: Speak loudly: The Rights of Americans

Lisa and Laura Roecker: #Speakloudly, Your Comments=Donated Copies of SPEAK




If you know of other great posts on the topic, feel free to leave a link in the comments!