[24 Hours of Democracy]

We Don't Burn Books

by Chris Beattie

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I'm sitting at my desk at school, listening to a lecture on how people used
to burn books. I can't understand how anyone can be so afraid of words that
they could do such a thing, could forbid certain books to be read. I read
around a book a week, and I'm comforted when the teacher tells me people
don't burn books anymore. We live in an enlightened society, and we have
enough confidence in our beliefs and ideals to let them stand against
conflicting ideas. People don't burn books.

Another lecture, this one on those "other countries", the ones where you
can go to jail for saying the wrong thing. Speak against the government or
the dominant religion, and they'll put you somewhere where your words
aren't a threat. Aren't you glad you don't live in one of those countries?
Aren't you glad you can say and write what you want, and you don't have to
guard your words?

I'm watching a television program on art restoration. They are showing some
paintings of nude figures that had somewhere in the Victorian era had
clothing painted on them. I wonder at a society that could be so afraid of
the human body to defile art in such a way.

It's ten years later, and I'm reading about the Communications Decency
Bill. I'm puzzled by all the fuss. There's no way this could be passed into
law. The United States is too proud of its First Amendment, of the right of
free speech and free expression. We got over our fear of words a long time
ago. We don't burn books. It will never happen. I forget about it.

It is several months later, and I can only stare at my monitor in
disbelief. The Bill is now law. Our freedom of expression, at least in this
medium, is gone. Our art, our literature, our lives are being censored. I
can here the crackling of the books burning. "Welcome Back Victoria" by
Jesus Jones plays through my mind. I can only wonder how long before I can
be sent to jail for speaking against the government or religion. I hope
that somehow this law will be rescinded, that the government will realize
its made a horrible mistake. And I'm afraid; afraid that this is permanent,
that there's nothing I can do, that this is the end of something wonderful.

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Since I live in Wisconsin, I would like to thank Senator Russ Feingold for
protecting the First Amendment by voting against the Telecomm Decency Act.

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