TX and FL: Bastions of Freedom...except for Books

[Edge-]

https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2...ny-other-state

It's Banned Books Week and a new report from writers' group PEN America shows Texas has banned more books than any other state.

The PEN America report found that 1,648 individual book titles were banned nationwide in 2,532 decisions from July 2021 to June 2022.
Texas' total number of bans during that period was 801 in 22 school districts, far outpacing No. 2 Florida, which banned 566 books in 21 districts.
Catch up quick: Pressure from Republican leaders, activist groups and some parents have pushed school districts to review or remove books they've deemed inappropriate in Texas and across the country.

Zoom in: The report mentions bans in 32 states, including the 22 districts in Texas.

The analysis includes suburban Leander ISD, where district officials banned at least 11 books from classrooms, including "The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel" and "V for Vendetta."
Plus, Fredericksburg ISD saw 42 instances of books banned in libraries and classrooms or in instances where a title was removed during an investigation to determine whether or not to restrict it.
North East ISD, near San Antonio, had the most bans with 435, followed by Granbury ISD with 133.
Yes, but: The analysis details only bans reported to PEN America or challenges that made the news.

Details: Some of the banned books were on our high school English reading lists, including classics "Of Mice and Men" and "The Bluest Eye," the latter ranking eighth among the most-challenged books in 2021.

Of note: While the publicity surrounding book bans has led to an increase in sales, some authors fear their books won't be read by students who can solely access library books.

Curious that the "Freedom loving" and "Free thinking" Republicans in Texas and Florida are leading the charge on government censorship of books in schools and libraries.

Looking at the map that colors states by the number of books they've banned it sure seems that it's a lot of red and purple states that are doing the most bannings. More solidly liberal states appear to be either not banning books at all, or banning comparatively few. Meanwhile, most solidly conservative states seem to have at least some level of bans, usually in the lower-middle range of between 26-50. A few purple states with very active Republican voter bases like PA is on the much higher end of things with MI being on the lower end of purple-ish states in that same 26-50 book ban range.

The full list of bans below -

Texas: 801 bans, 22 districts
Florida: 566 bans, 21 districts
Pennsylvania: 457 bans, 11 districts
Tennessee: 349 bans, 6 districts
Oklahoma: 43 bans, 3 districts
Michigan: 41 bans, 4 districts
Kansas: 30 bans, 2 districts
Wisconsin: 29 bans, 6 districts
Missouri: 27 bans, 8 districts
Idaho: 26 bans, 3 districts
Georgia: 23 bans, 2 districts
Mississippi: 22 bans, 1 district
Virginia: 19 bans, 9 districts
Indiana: 18 bans, 3 districts
North Carolina: 16 bans, 5 districts
New York: 13 bans, 4 districts
Utah: 12 bans, 3 districts

But really, TX and FL, and to a lesser extent PA and TN, are massive outliers in this regard compared to the rest of the nation.

[s_bushido]

We can't have our students learning deviant ideas like "fascism bad" or "sex slavery bad too," or else who knows what terrible things they will grow up to believe?

[Rennadrel]

Book bans seem like such a stupid thing to me.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Republicans banning Handmaid's Tale?

WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT TRIGGERS THEM

[Edge-]

Republicans banning Handmaid's Tale?

WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT TRIGGERS THEM

I don't think the irony of that move is lost on anyone familiar with the subject matter, even if you haven't read the book/seen the show.

[PACOX]

But really, TX and FL, and to a lesser extent PA and TN, are massive outliers in this regard compared to the rest of the nation.

Unfortunately Texas and FL make up ~15% of the population, which a lot considering there's 50 of states, a good chunk that are far more backwards than the two. FL and Texas has recently (surprise it did happen sooner) the figureheads/shield for redder states. Conservatives used to 'beta test' their bullshit in smaller states before introducing it to the bigger ones like the two. Now they seem to implement their strategies in the two first then export it to the smaller red ones.


Its the same way California has massive influence over blue states, using its size to shape policy beyond its own borders.

[Poopymonster]

https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2...ny-other-state



Curious that the "Freedom loving" and "Free thinking" Republicans in Texas and Florida are leading the charge on government censorship of books in schools and libraries.

Looking at the map that colors states by the number of books they've banned it sure seems that it's a lot of red and purple states that are doing the most bannings. More solidly liberal states appear to be either not banning books at all, or banning comparatively few. Meanwhile, most solidly conservative states seem to have at least some level of bans, usually in the lower-middle range of between 26-50. A few purple states with very active Republican voter bases like PA is on the much higher end of things with MI being on the lower end of purple-ish states in that same 26-50 book ban range.

The full list of bans below -



But really, TX and FL, and to a lesser extent PA and TN, are massive outliers in this regard compared to the rest of the nation.

PA I can see, they call the area between Philly and Pitt "Pennsyltucky" for a reason.

[Kathandira]

PA I can see, they call the area between Philly and Pitt "Pennsyltucky" for a reason.

In NJ, we consider the entire state as Pennsyltucky.

[Poopymonster]

In NJ, we consider the entire state as Pennsyltucky.

I can hear the banjos on a quiet night from here near Trenton.
/s

My SO, born and bred New Jersey, made the same claim.

[Kathandira]

I can hear the banjos on a quiet night from here near Trenton.
/s

My SO, born and bred New Jersey, made the same claim.

lol totally. They don't help the matter by adopting southern culture.

[Biglog]

It is a bit ironic that residents of FL and TX are big on talking about freedom and flying the flag, but reality is that they are 2 of the least free and most authoritarian states in the US. They are bastions of freedom relative to China or North Korea maybe. TX and FL will happily wave flags and applaud the idea of freedom while doing everything they can to implement laws that ban or control any minority religious, ethnic, or cultural part of the population that doesn't fit their agenda.

The *one* exception they are quick to point out is around gun rights, and even that is only at the extremes like open carry. Despite what a MAGA talking head may tell you, purchasing guns is quite simple and legal in blue states. They just haven't gone over the top with eliminating any gun control at all to score political points while discarding common sense like TX and FL have. So they like freedom when the discussion is only that one singular topic. But talk any other topic like education, books, healthcare, minority rights, etc. and they have the polar opposite position. People in TX and FL I don't think even realize how limited their freedom has become. A person in most other states has significantly more freedom in their daily lives.

If a state thinks they can knock on your door and ask questions about what you're doing in your own bedroom, control fundamental family decisions, control what books you read, etc. ..that isn't freedom. Book bans and door knocking goes against everything the US was founded on. Thank goodness most other states haven't lost vision of that.

[jeezusisacasual]

Where have i seen anger against homosexuality, book burning and the blaming of others before? hhhmmm where was that? I wonder.

[Blur4stuff]

Let's ban books while we live in a world where everything is readily available online for free.

[CastletonSnob]

Texas isn't a red state. It's a non-voting state.

According to this site, in 2014, only 28.3% of registered voters in Texas voted, and in 2018, 46.5% voted.



Here's a site that shows the turnout and voter registration figures of elections in Texas, from 1970 to 2022.

https://www.sos.state.tx.us/election...al/70-92.shtml

2014 - November (Gubernatorial)Registered Voters

14,025,441

Voting Age Population (VAP)

18,915,297

Percentage of VAP Registered

74.15%

Turnout

4,727,208

Percent of Turnout to Registered

33.70%

Percent of Turnout to VAP

24.99%

2018 - November (Gubernatorial)Registered Voters

15,793,257

Voting Age Population (VAP)

19,900,980

Percentage of VAP Registered

79.36%

Turnout

8,371,655

Percent of Turnout to Registered

53.01%

Percent of Turnout to VAP

42.07%

Consider that Texas has the 2nd fewest number of registered voters in the country. Only Wyoming has fewer.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/st...oters-by-state

And look at these documents that rank the states by voter turnout, from 1976 to 2020, before and after the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

https://www.sos.nh.gov/sites/g/files...ts-4-19-21.pdf

[Shadowferal]

On a different tact; The Kind of Books Nazis Burned Is Super !@#$ing Relevant Right Now

Up until a few years ago, when I was introduced to the Weimar Republic (roughly 1918 to 1933, a.k.a. the time between WWI and Nazi Germany) via Christopher Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical book Goodbye to Berlin (the basis for Cabaret), I just assumed they burned anything linked to Jewish people. This was partly right, as antisemitism involved scapegoating Jewish people for broader cultural shifts, but there’s one type of Nazi-targeted book in particular that’s especially relevant today: books relating to sexuality and gender.
--------------
A lot more in the link.

[gondrin]

It is a bit ironic that residents of FL and TX are big on talking about freedom and flying the flag, but reality is that they are 2 of the least free and most authoritarian states in the US. They are bastions of freedom relative to China or North Korea maybe. TX and FL will happily wave flags and applaud the idea of freedom while doing everything they can to implement laws that ban or control any minority religious, ethnic, or cultural part of the population that doesn't fit their agenda.

The *one* exception they are quick to point out is around gun rights, and even that is only at the extremes like open carry. Despite what a MAGA talking head may tell you, purchasing guns is quite simple and legal in blue states. They just haven't gone over the top with eliminating any gun control at all to score political points while discarding common sense like TX and FL have. So they like freedom when the discussion is only that one singular topic. But talk any other topic like education, books, healthcare, minority rights, etc. and they have the polar opposite position. People in TX and FL I don't think even realize how limited their freedom has become. A person in most other states has significantly more freedom in their daily lives.

If a state thinks they can knock on your door and ask questions about what you're doing in your own bedroom, control fundamental family decisions, control what books you read, etc. ..that isn't freedom. Book bans and door knocking goes against everything the US was founded on. Thank goodness most other states haven't lost vision of that.

The fact that Texas wasn't even an open carry state until 2016, and even then, you needed to be licensed. I always found that ironic, as far as Texas goes, that they had some of the more restrictive practices when it came to firearms, at least in public, then a lot of other states for a long time.

[Lanrefni]

The fact that Texas wasn't even an open carry state until 2016, and even then, you needed to be licensed. I always found that ironic, as far as Texas goes, that they had some of the more restrictive practices when it came to firearms, at least in public, then a lot of other states for a long time.

It's kinda hilarious that ultra liberal Vermont still has fewer gun laws than Texas and yet have no where near the level of gun violence they do.

[gondrin]

It's kinda hilarious that ultra liberal Vermont still has fewer gun laws than Texas and yet have no where near the level of gun violence they do.

Best part is, only 1 year ago they got rid of the license to be able to open carry. I live in Ohio, we never even need a license to open carry, just a simple background check to see if you are a felon/insane or the like. Texas was always that state that shouts "FREEDOM!!! 'MERICA!!!!" but never actually has said freedom.

[Shadowferal]

It's kinda hilarious that ultra liberal Vermont still has fewer gun laws than Texas and yet have no where near the level of gun violence they do.

You're comparing a tiny sparsely populated state to TX?

[Draco-Onis]

It's kinda hilarious that ultra liberal Vermont still has fewer gun laws than Texas and yet have no where near the level of gun violence they do.

Feel free to link the number, I have Vermont with 11 death per 100K Texas at 14.2 per 100k for. Texas ranks 23 Vermont ranks 37. The top states are red states Mississippi being number one.