I read the editorial “Censorship is the Refuge of the Weak” from the New York Times. The editorial focuses on the Republican party using censorship to control what is being taught in schools, what books can be in libraries, and even what books can be sold or shared in bookstores, libraries, or by private citizens.

The editorial gives examples of censorship that is currently happening in the U.S., including what’s been happening at Grand Island Northwest with its journalism program and newspaper. This highlights the fact that censorship is a nationwide problem and is an increasingly popular way for those with power to control something that they don’t like or agree with.

Within the last year, there have been over double the amount of gag order bills introduced to state legislatures compared to last year. While only 7 of those bills actually became law, the article mentions the laws being some of the strictest to date. The fact that so many new bills have been introduced compared to last year, “reflect a growing enthusiasm on the right for censorship as a political weapon and instrument of social control”.

Some bills proposed have notably targeted private schools and universities as well as public schools. This to me, feels very much like the idea of “no one is safe”. If schools and libraries go against the new laws and teach restricted or censored content, they face heavy fines, loss of state funding, and teachers face dismissal or criminal charges. 

I think it was poignant that the editorial makes a comment on how the Republican party used to be one of the strongest advocates of free speech as they introduced laws to protect free speech on college campuses in years previous. Compared with how they are now using censorship, “to restrict what people can talk about, learn about or discuss in public, and exposing them to lawsuits for doing so” shows how far they have shifted in their mentality and their ever-growing fight for control.

I believe this is a well written editorial. Each claim solidly supports the main claim, with facts and statistics to further assist in their argument. This is an incredibly prevalent topic, and it also directly plays into the U.S. facing a nationwide teacher shortage. Having politicians try to dictate what can and can’t be taught in schools or what books should or shouldn’t be in libraries makes the teacher’s job more difficult. Who wants to be a teacher or a librarian when they are being harassed, intimidated, and controlled over what they teach in their classrooms?