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Censorship In Penguins

Decent Essays

Penguins: Not So Black and White
In a modern age where communication through publication plays such a significant role, censorship challenges on some forms of media are not all that uncommon. A particular area of concern is how certain messages are being relayed to young children, and whether this information is necessarily age-appropriate. One ongoing debate is whether the children’s book, And Tango Makes Three, co-written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, should have its place in libraries of elementary schools. The main source of conflict arising from this book is the implications of homosexuality. The book focuses on two penguins, Roy and Silo, who very clearly shows feelings of affection towards each other, and are determined to …show more content…

While some parents fighting for the banning of the book, or at least, the restriction of it, are not explicitly declaring that the topic of homosexuality is wrong, their use of words implicitly states otherwise. The god term for this terministic screen would be ‘offense’, in which advocates for censorship would argue that homosexuality, in less extreme cases, is inappropriate, and in more extreme cases, criminal. To support these beliefs, the book has been referred to both as an “agenda”, and ”homosexual primer” (DeMar), and children described as “pawns of propaganda” (Magnuson 12). Although these terms are not necessarily incorrect in describing the nature and motive in the publication of And Tango Makes Three, they are evident in insinuating that the book was written to manipulate children to favour, rather than to inform, on the theme of homosexuality. In a case of extreme opposition, a mother of a 17-month-old verbalized great disdain towards this book’s content, saying she would “feel the same way if the penguins were murderers or rapists” (Magnuson 12). The comparison of homosexuality to be on par with such heinous criminal offenses represents Burke’s principle of discontinuity in this terministic screen, disconnecting this particular sexual orientation from the norm of moral human …show more content…

Whether a parent in question is for or against the censorship of And Tango Makes Two, they have the best interest of their child in mind, and are encompassing what they believe to be their “parental rights” (Magnuson 12). In The Courier’s article, Bengu Tekinalp, a Drake University professor and parent fighting to keep the book on the shelves argues that the message given out with censorship is that, “it's not OK to be different, it's not OK to be unique”. Although Tekinalp is not explicitly advocating the normality of homosexuality, she is emphasizing on promoting acceptance of differences and diversity to her 3-year-old daughter, rather than preaching discrimination. However, the main concern for those adamant on censorship is that parents wish to be able to decide when it is appropriate for their children to be introduced to controversial material and content, such as homosexuality. Whether a parent believes that homosexuality is too mature of a topic, or if they simply consider any non-heterosexual relationship to be wrong due to religious beliefs, it is still in their best interests to protect their children from being what they believe to be ‘wrongfully

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