Should books have ratings like movies to warn parents about inappropriate content?

What is inappropriate and who will decide? If we allow a ratings system on books, we will be accepting yet another nail in the coffin of freedom of speech in this country. It is the responsibility of parents, not the government, to decide what is and is not acceptable for their children.

Books and other forms of writing are part of the free exchange of ideas that make this country great. Our liberty relies on our ability to put forth opposing ideas so that people can decide for themselves which of those ideas make the most sense to them. We do not always agree on what ideas are "right," but we must agree that our freedom to express any idea we choose is one of the underlying foundations of a free, democratic society.

If parents are so concerned that their child could possibly read something that they feel is inappropriate, they have several options that do not include a rating system on books to make it quick and easy for them. Parenting is not quick and easy and it is not the government's responsibility to do the parenting. When parents chose to bring children into this world, they did so with the full knowledge that they would then be responsible for those children for at least 18 years. This includes being responsible for shielding their children from any influences they feel inappropriate.

Instead of a rating system, parents can take a look at what their children are reading. If they're too lazy to read the whole thing, they can skim it to make sure they feel it's appropriate. They can also suggest and provide books they have read, guiding the child toward the ideas they feel appropriate. Since small children aren't going to be reading books with a lot of big words and lofty ideas, it seems we're talking probably more about teens here. A novel approach toward parenting might be to let your children read something you don't necessarily approve of and have a mind of their own. Discuss it with them and see how they feel about it. You might just find that the child has enough sense to take a positive message from even something you feel is negative.

With Homeland Security and various other assaults on our civil liberties, a book rating system would just be one more surrender of our freedom. It's horrifying to think that some of the great classics we all grew up on could possibly be deemed inappropriate for young readers, denying them the chance to explore new and different ideas.

In a time when reading and writing skills are deteriorating rapidly, the rating system also seems to be a sure way to discourage reading and exploration of ideas and philosophical concepts. We, as a society, should encourage all our citizens to hunger for knowledge and to gain some of that knowledge by reading books of any kind, not arbitrarily narrowing the list of what is acceptable.

Many of the greatest works of American literature would more than likely be restricted to young readers by such a system. After all, couldn't "Moby Dick" be considered a little violent? There is a murder in "Of Mice and Men." Will we ban anything with the slightest bit of sexual content? What about swear words? Surely children will need to be protected from "The Holy Bible" for all of these reasons, as well.

These may seem like radical views, but these are the things you need to consider before you jump on the bandwagon of support for implementing a ratings system on books. Books have always been one of the purest forms of expression and the way the marketplace of ideas is expanded and enriched. We may not always agree with the content or the message, but we must fight to the end to protect the rights of those who write and those who read books of all kinds.

Some of the greatest lessons we have learned are from reading books filled with vile, revolting content. Think of the works of Hitler. We read these not to become like him, but to get a glimpse into the inner workings of the mind of a madman and learn important lessons on how to keep history from repeating itself. If we are forced into ignorance, we will also surely be damned to repeat the mistakes of the past.

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Do mainstream media outlets favor bad news over good news?

If it bleeds, it leads. That is the stereotypical mantra of the media and, to a certain extent, it's true. While we'd love to blame the media for airing only bad news, we have to realize that in the world of television especially, ratings rule and giving the viewers what they want is the most effective way to get increased ratings and, in turn, advertising revenue. Since America is a capitalist society and the majority of news venues are for profit, there is the unfortunate reality that those advertising dollars are the bottom line.

If people didn't tune in to watch the horrors on the nightly news in such vast numbers, those responsible for the content would change it to meet the wants of the viewers. So, we are actually in control of what we see more than we might be comfortable taking responsibility for.

Another reason it seems all we see is bad news is the fact that, unfortunately, bad things are news. The fact that something went well or turned out right is as it should be and is therefore not newsworthy. Something going wrong or turning out badly is outside the norm, making it worthy of a headline in a newspaper or a segment on a news program.

The media even takes steps to counteract the overabundance of bad news by throwing in human interest stories that are meant to be uplifting and inspiring. You've not doubt read or seen stories of brave, courageous people who have overcome obstacles in their lives, or stories about organizations that are doing good in the community. This is good news. While viewers would more than likely get bored and tune out or put a newspaper down if this was the only content, it is there.

We as Americans tend to spend a lot of time analyzing and putting down the media in this country, but one thing to remember the next time you're watching a particular bit of bad news on television is this: at least you're not watching a state-run "news" broadcast which is made up of nothing more than government propaganda. You are free to see and read about what is really going on in the world around you. A lot of the time, those are bad things. It is those bad things we need to pay attention to so we can learn from them and learn to rise above them.

If you want to only hear how wonderful everything is and that there is nothing to worry about or fear and that the government will take complete care of you so there's no need for you to think on your own, move to a country that doesn't have a free press. If, on the other hand, you want the good, the bad and the ugly so you are free to form your own opinions and think and discuss freely important issues, thank God you live in the United States and lighten up a little on the media.