Book censorship is not a thing of the past, it is a thing of the now! Since 1982 more than a thousand books have been challenged in the United States. These books range from children's books to those for young adults. Often, these books are challenged by parents, churches, schools, libraries, bookshops, and even the government, in an attempt to have them banned from society. The most re-occurring reasons for book censorship are sexual content, profanity, homosexuality, violence, and the supernatural. Sometimes, the government bans books that threaten or criticize it (ie, 1984 by George Orwell).

In honor of the American Library Association's Banned Books Week (September 25-October 2), UMBC's first-year seminar on banned books created its very first Banned Books Day on December 2nd, 2009. The Banned Books Day events included a book trial, book readings in the library and in The Commons, a book dealer and police chase.

The book trial was held in The Commons Main Street, and the books on trial were Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. The books were then burned after the jury voted against them. Burning is a method of censoring, as it destroys all access to the book.

Between 11am and 4pm, book readings took place in the library and The Commons. Children's books which had been banned in the past or are being challenged now were read to students and faculty. While these events went on, book dealers milled around campus slipping banned books into pockets, and persuading students to accept and read banned books. In the later part of the day, the book dealer was seen being chased around campus by a cop.

This event, which was sponsored by Professor Pattee Fletcher, created awareness about book censorship and promoted the argument that books should not be censored regardless of the content. Everyone had a right to read any material they chose to read and authors had the right to express their opinions. Also banning books is an infringement of First Amendment rights. It takes away our freedom of speech and creates room for others to tell us what to read and not to read.

Ironically, when books are challenged and communities seek to ban them, the popularity of the book skyrockets. Books which are often banned usually tackle controversial issues and discuss taboo topics that others will not dare talk about. Some popular books that are being challenged or have been banned in the past are Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, J.K Rowling's Harry Potter, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, William Powell's The Anarchist Cookbook, And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and Forever, both by Judy Blume, and As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.

As college students, books are essential to our everyday lives, not only for research but also for the acquiring of knowledge and necessary information. Without books our lives will be stagnant. There will be no opinions. While on break, please support the cause and read a banned or challenged book. Exercise your freedom to read!