“It’s swatting a fly with a sledgehammer,” said Mark Earsley in September tenth’s New York Times. Earsley is the president of the Christian group, Prison Ministries. In prisons across America, chaplains have been told to clear out religious books. The books in the chapels and libraries of prisons must be on an “approved list” from the Bureau of Prisons. What do they hope to accomplish by blocking access to the thousands of religious books? Traci Billingsley, a spokesperson for the Bureau, said in the New York Times that “the agency was acting in response to a 2004 report by the Justice Department. The report recommended steps to take to avoid prisons becoming recruiting grounds for militant Islamic and other religious groups since the September 11 attacks. They are barring access to materials that could “discriminate, disparage, advocate violence, or radicalize.” Apparently only religious books fit the bill. Chaplains, religious groups, and prisoners alike are not happy with this change. “There’s no need to get rid of literally hundred of thousands of books simply because you have a problem with an isolated book or piece of literature that presents extremism.” Mark Earsley quotes again in the Times. Even the general public is in a quandary, a poll was taken on about.com, and over 85% said this reaction to the books was too extreme. Thousands of the old collected books are being tossed; only 150 books on each religion are allowed. "The set of books that have been taken out have been ones that we used to minister to new converts when they come in here," Christian inmate John Okon told a judge last week, according to Christianity Today. “Okon, along with inmates Moshe Milstein and Douglas Kelly, are asking the court to order the titles returned to the prison chapel library.”
Most people argue for their civil rights, yet I agree that anything to curb terrorism in this country should be done. However, this can be done with a fly-swatter, not a hammer. It seems overkill to limit books that are known for their solid teachings on love, forgiveness, compassion, hope, and joy. These things would help, not hinder, prisoners. Peaceful books should be encouraged, not dismantled. What about even fiction books or movies that are full of violence that have completely infiltrated our culture? Why not work to remove books and other media that actually contain violence, not just limit them to religious books? Many religious books have proven a help to social problems, and many turn from the teachings of violence and terrorism. If we are trying to stop violence and terrorism, we should not be removing most religious books. Most religions, such as Christianity, Catholicism, Judaism, and Mormonism do not advocate violence in any way. In fact, it is strongly discouraged. I doubt Billy Graham or the pope condone terrorism. Many of the books now being taken off prison shelves teach values and morals that could bring light into many lives. So, it seems the sledgehammer is swinging hard, cracking away at a source of hope and renewal in our prisons.
