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And on the subject of burning books: I want to…

“And on the subject of burning books: I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength or their powerful political connections or their great wealth, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut
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““And on the subject of burning books: I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength or their powerful political connections or their great wealth, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shelves, and have refused to reveal to thought police the names of persons who have checked out those titles. So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House or the Supreme Court or the Senate or the House of Representatives or the media. The America I love still exists at the front desks of our public libraries.””

Kurt Vonnegut

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Librarians protect intellectual freedom by resisting censorship and keeping diverse books available, preserving true America.

In simple terms: Librarians fight censorship to keep ideas free.

Key Takeaway

Support libraries and resist book bans.

Themes

freedom censorship intellectual liberty

Mood

defiant hopeful

Type

inspirational political

When to use this quote

  • public libraries
  • education
  • political activism

Key Concepts

democracy public knowledge resilience

Questions to Reflect On

  • What can individuals do to aid libraries?
  • How does censorship affect society?
A Different Perspective

Opposition may be strong and systemic.

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