This can't be happening!

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 No, no, no!

This can't be happening (here)! 

This only happens in books, such as Fahrenheit 451. Or in 1984. Or in countries ruled by dictators, such as Afghanistan, North Korea, or (gulp) Hungary. Or (bigger gulp) in the United States of America. But not in Britain!

Wrong.

According to the Guardian today, instances where UK librarians are asked to remove a book are increasing. (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/14/librarians-in-uk-increasingly-asked-to-remove-books-as-influence-of-us-pressure-groups-spreads?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other)

'Although “the situation here is nowhere [near] as bad, censorship does happen and there are some deeply worrying examples of library professionals losing their jobs and being trolled online for standing up for intellectual freedom on behalf of their users”, said Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (Cilip).' (Guardian, 14/04/25)

And it not only the asking, sometimes librarian feel they have to comply with the request and remove the book. It is not (yet) on the same scale as the situation in the US. So far, there is little evidence that organised right-wing, Christian groups are putting pressure on libraries to remove books. But there have been some instances of organised influences.

How dare they?

I can fully understand that anyone can be offended and scandalised by a book. I can fully understand that anyone may not want their children to read a particular book (just yet). But banning books? The next step is burning books and that should never be allowed to happen in a civilised society.

Burning book is repressing ideas. You can disagree with an idea, but you can only do so if you know what the idea is, so you can think, ponder, research and come to your own conclusion.

No surprise that the main category of books that are included in this censor ship are LBGT+ books. Just keep stumm and pretend it doesn't exist. 

How dare they?

How dare anyone to tell me what I can think or believe? Who are they, telling me that a book about two young boys who fall in love is bad for the moral development of children?

Society is based on respect for anyone's beliefs. Book censoring is not done with respect for beliefs.

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