In the few months that I’ve been researching and reading about comic book bans, I’ve noticed two types of stories.
The first type is the school you’ve never heard of, in a town you don’t know, in a state you never visited, has banned a book you may not have read. These stories may seem remote, isolated, and inconsequential, more of an anecdote than a problem.
The second type of story is the national headline. Thousands of books removed from schools. Teachers and librarians threatened with losing their jobs or their lives. National movements like Moms for Liberty funded by the Koch Brothers. These stories hit as disheartening, enraging, and designed to trigger outrage.
The connection between these two types of stories reminds me of a quote that I think came from French writer and philosopher Voltaire:
“No snowflake in an avalanche feels responsible.”
Thousands of books don’t get banned all at once. It’s one book here, two graphic novels there, and a few more in another place. Soon, certain types of books (i.e. narratives focusing on any marginalized community) don’t need to be banned. Librarians simply don’t order them to avoid the scandal and stress. Over time, publishers might stop releasing those books. Ultimately, the creators of future comics might decide to never make their books in the first place.
And the avalanche of ignorance is complete.
I think in the same way graphic novel bans start singular and small, free speech and wider access can start on the same level. We’re not going to end censorship all at once, if we ever do it at all. But if we succeed, it will be protecting one book here, getting a couple of graphic novels into the hands of people there. Every comic that opens someone’s mind can be a snowflake in an avalanche of openness that America needs.
Thanks.
Gamal