Let's All Speak Out

I have the greatest respect for Laurie Halse Anderson for her fantastic young adult novels. This morning, it was shocking to see on Anderson's blog that her book Speak has been targeted as being "child pornography." For those who do not know anything about the book, it addresses the aftermath of rape; what no one should have to go through, but what many women, children, and some men are forced to survive. It is a terrible ordeal and something that should be addressed as compassionately, but accurately, as possible.

I am thoroughly disgusted at teabilly politics anyway, but to try to tear down novels that provide a worthy discussion intended to keep rape from being the private shame that drives so many people to suicide is beyond repugnant. From a writer's standpoint, I also find it unreasonable that so many people are saying such negative things against Anderson's work when most of them haven't read the book. Those who have, clearly did not understand it, having read it through biased blinders determined to find something unworthy and foul. Unfortunately, this is not a new issue. Speak has been attacked as being child pornography before.

Thankfully, some enlightened educators are not giving to this negative culture of ignorance and anti-female mindsets. No one should be excluded to having to understand that rape and abuse happens; and that they are foul parts of our society. Ignorance allows society to excuse the behavior and blame the victim when we should be teaching everyone in our society not to harm other people.

Furthermore, it seems like these naysayers are the ones who find rape to be sexually exciting. That makes them the ugly element in society. They should have no say in decisions that affect the direction in which our society needs to grow, especially in matters that concern children. At the end of the day, we are all human, but the aggressors need to be the ones held accountable, not authors who shed light on the aftermath of the horror these sick individuals cause.