my favorite book has come under attack...

My friend Eli sent me an IM tonight with sad news...

Eli Ruggles
11:07 dude
11:07 AAAAUUUUUGGGHHHHHHH!

Marty
11:07 what up?

Eli Ruggles
11:07 news is on ( NBC )
11:07 segment just ended about how parents have challenged the 8th grade reading list at some columbus middle school
11:07 they want To Kill a Mocking Bird removed from the reading list

Marty
11:08 what?
11:08 that is crazy...

I can't believe it. How can someone attack one of the greatest books of all time. How can they realistically want to eliminate this classic from the approved reading list? I am in shock and horrified that this could possibly happen. This world has become over the top about being politically correct. I understand that there is language used in the book that, by today standards, is no longer politically correct. Here is the problem, To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960. The story takes place in the 1930's. It uses language of the times. So, this has led me on a quest. I found out that To Kill a Mockingbird has been attacked many times before now. It was one of the most controversial books of the 1990-2000's. So maybe this should not be "new" news to me. Read more at the W.

Why am I so passionate about this book? Why do I take this so personal?

When I was a young kid, I read everything I could get my hands on. I loved books. As I got older, I grew tired of reading. Television, video games and sports took over my life and I only read when it was required in school. When I was in High School I had to take an English class that spent half of the school year studying American Literature. Mrs. Wiggins required lots of reading. I just could not get into anything. We were reading classic literature. I was dying. After reading Cliffs Notes to prepare for the tests and sleeping through most of these so called great books, she decided to assign To Kill a Mockingbird as our next book. She looked at me and said, "I really think this book is exactly what will get you interested in reading again". I scoffed at the title of the book and sort of mocked her by reciting the old cliche' "Don't read a book buy its cover?" Mrs Wiggins said, "Just trust me on this one and give it a chance."

I was playing baseball and we had an away game. I knew I had to read the first couple of chapters, but just could not force myself to read on the bus. I threw the book in my bag and focused on the game. After I got home that night, I realized that I had to at least make an attempt to read the first chapter. Mrs Wiggins was famous for pop quizzes and I at least had to know who the characters were in the story. I started reading. I finally put the book down around 4AM. I had read it cover to cover. The story came alive. I felt like I was in elementary school again, when books use to come alive to me. When I was excited about reading stories!

The next day at school, Mrs Wiggins asked me if I was able to get through the first chapter. I said, " I read it." She laughed, "Good, at least you will be able to tell me who the characters are and a little bit about them." POP Quiz. I wrote a book. As she graded the quizzes, we read for our next assignment. I watched as she got to my quiz. She peeked up at me and I quickly glanced back at my book. She laughed and said, "So...you went to the library and found the movie!" MOVIE? There was a movie?

I told her that I had stayed up half the night and read the book completely. She thought for sure I knew that there was a movie, and that was sort of the reason she picked the book. She thought I could watch the movie, since I struggled staying focused on any of the books she had assigned up to this point.

I fell in love with the story. It was my favorite read. It still is my favorite book. To Kill a Mockingbird effected my life in ways I can't explain. It gave me such a great example of why racism is wrong. It showed me that there are still good people in the world. It taught me to stand up against hatred and racism. I looked up to Atticus Finch, he was a man I hoped that I could emulate. I hoped that I could be as brave as Jem. I loved Scout. Dill reminded me of a friend I grew up with in Kingston. I knew men who were ignorant like Bob Ewell and we had our own mysterious character like Boo Radley in the town I grew up in as a child. My heart broke for Tom Robinson and his family. Harper Lee hit a home run with this story. She never wrote another novel. It was converted to a screenplay in 1962 and Gregory Peck won an Oscar for his portrayal of Atticus Finch the following year. You just don't sit down and write stories like this, I think you have to live them.

I have read the book too many times to count. I wrote a college paper for a Philosophy class titled, "Why Atticus Finch is a virtuous man". It has occupied the top spot in my "Best books of all time" list (the Bible is obviously the greatest book;) ) since the day I closed it at 4AM. The movie tops my favorite list too. I secretly wanted to name my daughter Maddie after "Scout", but I knew that would not fly with Jennifer. So I gave the name to our Chocolate Lab. I am a big Third Day and Mac Powell fan and after perusing through Mac Powell's bio on their website, I found out that To Kill a Mockingbird is his favorite book and movie as well. Mac named his daughter Scout, and that is so cool.

It is obvious that Harper Lee wrote a book that has had an impact on lots of people. She wrote a book that was real, true and controversial. She wrote this book in 1960 that used a particular word that today is considered, not politically correct. I do not use the word, I have never used the word. To Kill a Mockingbird taught me that the word is offensive. Please do not allow a few words to destroy the opportunity for a great piece of American Literature to change young students views of racism and hatred. This book won a Pulitzer Prize. The movie won an Oscar. There are so many other books that could be removed from the reading list. To remove To Kill a Mockingbird from the approved list would be like the story itself, to quote Atticus Finch..."it's a sin to kill a mockingbird".