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Brotherhood 2.0: May 2: Book Banning

2007-05-02 · John · watch on YouTube · Books & writing · advocacy activism

John argues against an Oklahoma high school's ban of Maureen Johnson's The Bermudez Triangle, whose only 'offense' is gay characters, says bans also keep books out of libraries, and asks viewers to email the school committee.

What is said

00:00:00 — Greeting and date slip; praise for Hank's song and a proposal of one song every two weeks; thanks for the Neil Gaiman greeting

  • ★★★ Praising Hank's song, John suggests Hank could write one song every two weeks for the rest of the project, on his Wednesdays: fun and easy, for John. (playful) (hedged) — 00:00:10 · Song Wednesday, Brotherhood 2.0
  • ★★ John thanks Hank for standing in line to get Neil Gaiman to say hi, noting Gaiman signed more books that day in Helena than John has in his whole career. (playful) — 00:00:10 · Neil Gaiman

00:00:47 — Maureen Johnson's The Bermudez Triangle banned at an Oklahoma school: the 'in your pants' gag, why book bans harm, and the list of books with gay characters

  • ★★★ John reports that Maureen Johnson, whom he calls a fan of the show and 'future secret sister', has had her book The Bermudez Triangle banned in Oklahoma. — 00:00:52 · Maureen Johnson, secret sibling
  • ★★★ After adding 'in your pants' to the title, John says that joke is the dirtiest thing about the book: nothing in it is inappropriate for teens, or even ten-year-olds. (playful) — 00:00:52 · in your pants
  • ★★★ John says one of the biggest problems with book banning is the books that never reach libraries because people fear they will be challenged. — 00:00:52
  • ★★ John says challenges must be fought partly so librarians know readers are with them when they are challenged. — 00:00:52
  • ★★★ John calls it ridiculous to ban the book from a high school library when it has no dirty words or scenes; all it contains is gay characters. — 00:01:38
  • ★★ John asks Bartlesville Mid-High School whether it will also ban Bridget Jones's Diary, The Color Purple, No Exit, Brideshead Revisited, Angels in America and The Picture of Dorian Gray. — 00:01:38
  • ★★★ John doesn't think novels should be removed from high school libraries simply because they have homosexual characters. (hedged) — 00:01:38
  • ★★★ John has posted the email addresses of the committee members, most of whom he says haven't read the book, and asks those who agree to email them that 'we won't stand for this'. — 00:01:38

00:02:18 — Ask: email the school committee, maybe call on Friday; sign-off

  • ★★ If the committee doesn't reply, John tells Hank they can call them on Friday; he has their phone numbers. — 00:02:18 · Hank Green

Humor (significant)

  • Thanking Hank for the Neil Gaiman greeting from Helena. — 00:00:10 > «Neil Gaiman signed more books on that day in Helena, Montana than I've signed in my entire career.»
  • John says a song every two weeks would be fun and also easy. — 00:00:10 > «And by easy, I mean, you know, for me.»
  • Announcing the banned book's title, John resists, then gives in to the 'in your pants' game. — 00:00:52 > «I don't want to do it. In your pants!»

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