It’s Day 3 of our week-long celebration of Banned Books Week, and we have yet another student podcast to share with you! Listen to ESL student Giancarlo Paredes give his take on the freedom to read.
Also, make sure to read posts from earlier this week to learn more about Banned Books Week and hear other student commentaries. Enjoy, and stay tuned!
“Are we going to ban books in the 21st century? Really? It’s so sad that some people still want to do that. I think that the only person who should decide what to read or what not should be myself and not someone else. When I am reading, I am not hurting anyone. Reading helps me to discover more about the world around me, improving my critical thinking and judgment at the same time. But somehow people believe they know what is right and what is not for others. What they don’t realize is that what makes this country different from others is the freedom of choice, the freedom of expression, and the freedom to read. Otherwise, we’ll go back in time to the Stone Ages and make no difference in the world. Books should not be banned. Even if we don’t like the content, someone else will find it useful. We should celebrate the freedom to read. Student Giancarlo Paredes from ESL 52.”
