Panel Discussion on Censorship–10/30/09 from JP Fortier on Vimeo.
In 1953 author Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 shared with the world his chilling view of a futuristic society where firemen burned books and the attainment of knowledge was discouraged. On Sept. 30, a panel of local writers, librarians, booksellers and educators discussed both traditional issues of censorship as well as new concerns faced by writers and readers alike in the age of Google, Amazon and Twitter.
Panelists included poet, publisher and political activist Henry Braun; MSAD 58 Superintendent Quenten Clark, political columnist Al Diamon, Farmington town librarian Melanie Taylor Coombs, UMF library director Frank Roberts, Wilton town librarian David Olson and local bookseller Kenny Brechner. Farmington attorney Woody Hanstein served as moderator.
The event was part of the National Endowment for the Arts “Big Read” program to highlight Banned Book Week. The program was sponsored by the Maine Writer’s and Publisher’s Alliance in a partnership with The Daily Bulldog in an ongoing series of community forums.
