By Kevin Duffy • Published 16th August 2011
Now those far sighted followers of Joseph Smith have got an old testament bee in their bonnets. They have complained to the local authorities in Alabama, or some such creationist state in the American south and said because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘A study in scarlet,’ has some anti mormon passges in it, it should be taken out of every school library and off any reading courses. The authorities in their wisdom have done just that. It is now banned. You know what is next. Every book will be banned bar Mr Smith’s words and God’s diary. Oh dear. No wonder America is such an intolerant country.
My dad burned my copy of ‘A clockwork orange,’ because of what he read in the press in 1973, I told him about another book burner, Adolf Hitler. He wasn’t impressed with my history lesson. My reward? A fat ear and a few more prayers to commit to the ceiling. Now, if there is one book that should be considered off the curriculum… Nah, people should read as much as possible. It helps, it really does. You might not understand everything, but you’ll have one thing in your favour if you do read. You’ll be more willing to listen to another’s view. Remember, you read it here first.
