An even-handed, informed discussion of divisive subjects.
An overview of the meaning of free speech in the context of the U.S. Constitution.
Lerose notes that “reasonable parties” may contest the application of the First Amendment in settings including schools, public libraries, social media platforms, and the press, but balancing the free expression of ideas is crucial for the maintenance of “public safety and social order.” The book concisely covers the history of the First Amendment, the vexing issue of “inflammatory or reckless” speech, and the key connection between the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Readers will find definitions of terms like libel and slander in the text. Although book challenges and bans based on “LGBTQ and racial justice issues” appear to emerge from social conservatism, Lerose avoids political labels. He identifies groups that resist censorship, like the American Library Association and PEN America. Other chapters focus on censorship of the curriculum, including a 2023 Florida directive that teachers should “frame slavery in a more positive light.” The chapter on online speech examines the impact of misinformation and disinformation on public safety, offering readers case studies such as 2024 lies about Haitian immigrants in Ohio eating pets, inaccuracies about Covid-19, and the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol building. Lerose clearly, carefully, and thoroughly addresses many complex issues, making this work a strong starting point for those seeking to understand the nuances of this “precious right.”
An even-handed, informed discussion of divisive subjects. (source notes, organizations and websites, for further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781678211981
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
A powerful reminder of a history that is all too timely today.
A beautifully heart-wrenching graphic-novel adaptation of actor and activist Takei’s (Lions and Tigers and Bears, 2013, etc.) childhood experience of incarceration in a World War II camp for Japanese Americans.
Takei had not yet started school when he, his parents, and his younger siblings were forced to leave their home and report to the Santa Anita Racetrack for “processing and removal” due to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066. The creators smoothly and cleverly embed the historical context within which Takei’s family’s story takes place, allowing readers to simultaneously experience the daily humiliations that they suffered in the camps while providing readers with a broader understanding of the federal legislation, lawsuits, and actions which led to and maintained this injustice. The heroes who fought against this and provided support to and within the Japanese American community, such as Fred Korematsu, the 442nd Regiment, Herbert Nicholson, and the ACLU’s Wayne Collins, are also highlighted, but the focus always remains on the many sacrifices that Takei’s parents made to ensure the safety and survival of their family while shielding their children from knowing the depths of the hatred they faced and danger they were in. The creators also highlight the dangerous parallels between the hate speech, stereotyping, and legislation used against Japanese Americans and the trajectory of current events. Delicate grayscale illustrations effectively convey the intense emotions and the stark living conditions.
A powerful reminder of a history that is all too timely today. (Graphic memoir. 14-adult)Pub Date: July 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-60309-450-4
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Top Shelf Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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