Thoughts from Dr. Joe: Books are couriers of ideas
Brother Jean Martel Baptiste was my Mr. Keating, the iconic English teacher from the movie, “Dead Poet’s Society.” Brother Jean used literature to temper the souls of the boys from the inner city. Although he was rarely successful, the few who followed his paradigm will always remember him.
In ’69, I went to war, and so did Brother Jean, but only in spirit. Throughout my tour, I felt his presence in the books he’d send. They were typically classics; Brother said the classics were timeless.
My Marines anticipated his packages, but there were hardly enough books to go around. After reading a number of pages from the likes of “Catcher in the Rye,” “Huckleberry Finn” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” they would tear out the pages they had read and then pass them to a Marine who eagerly awaited his turn. Within days there’d be parts of books moving throughout the platoons.
Recently, I read “When Books Went to War,” by Molly Manning. It’s a story of the Nazi book burnings during World War II when more than 100 million books were banned and burned. In America, outraged librarians spearheaded campaigns to collect and send more than 120 million books to soldiers fighting in Europe and the Pacific. Stamped “Armed Service Editions,” these volumes brought solace amid the unimaginable horrors of war. Manning cites accounts of soldiers whose lives were changed because of books like “The Great Gatsby” and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”
I gave Manning’s book to Meryl Eldridge, the research librarian at Flintridge Prep. Meryl explained that Sept. 25 through Oct. 1 is Banned Books Week, which brings together the entire book community of librarians, booksellers, publishers, writers, teachers and readers to celebrate expression. “During Banned Books Week, Flintridge Prep celebrates our freedom to read and to seek and express ideas even though some are considered unorthodox or unpopular,” she said.
Through the leadership of Ryan Huntley, the student chair of Banned Books Week, Flintridge Prep will proudly display the volumes that have been banned and challenged in certain communities throughout the United States. “There should be no restrictions on what I can read. Ideas should not be censured. In our library, we are displaying these books,” Ryan said.
I’m incensed by those who would impose their values on others and promote their righteous and narrow views in attempts to curtail our right for freedom of expression. Their attempts at censorship have nothing to do with the clear-and-present danger doctrine of the Supreme Court.
Jennifer Tirrell, Prep’s head librarian, said, “Fear and not understanding make one feel uncomfortable. It’s the root of censorship. Conquerors always burn the library. Taking away a culture’s heritage is the ultimate source of power. One’s heritage evolves from reading.”
Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” is a story of dystopian America where books are outlawed and burned. The novel speaks to suppressing dissenting ideas. However, regardless of censorship, an idea is eternal and there’s a time for every season when a story finds new life. In “Fahrenheit 451” the exiled book lovers memorize the burnt books and wait for the day when society is ready to rediscover them.
It’s been 46 years but I still remember Brother Jean’s gift to the Marines. It’s ironic that many of the books he sent were at one time banned or challenged. Brother believed in preserving ideas; thus, I wonder if he had an ulterior motive for sending the books. Flintridge Prep’s gift to their students during Banned Books Week is somewhat similar to Brother Jean’s. It’s symbolic and venerates the sanctity of ideas. I’ll end these thoughts with a heartfelt thought from Ms. Tirrell: “A book is sacred. I’m a story person. I imagine things.”
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JOE PUGLIA is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at doctorjoe@ymail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us.
