Should Federal prisons ban religious books from library jails?

Yes

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by Danette M. Scott

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Should Federal prisons keep or ban religious books from library jails? Yes,I believe that prison bureaus have the right to censor any reading materials that prisoners have access to that may incite violence,propagate hatred and enmity toward other members of our society based on race,religion,sex and sexual orientation.

Books,periodicals and newspapers which may propose acts of violence and instill feelings of hatred toward others should be removed from prison libraries. This is not at all unconstitutional. Prisoners in many institutions across the country have been prohibited access to pornographic materials because of the negative influences it may have on prisoner behavior.

Banning books solely on the basis that they are religious or represent any particular religious belief or faith is not what I am proposing. Books should be banned that claim to represent a certain faith or religious viewpoint and are nothing more than manifestos of violence and hatred. These books could influence prisoner behavior and ultimately negatively impact society as a whole.

Prisoners as a population in this country mainly consist of those individuals in our society who have demonstrated that they were either not capable of following societies laws,social mores and beliefs or that they have contempt for our societal norms. Individuals such as these who have a history of making poor choices should not have access to reading materials which solicit people to joining,supporting and engaging in activities which are harmful to members of our society such as terrorism,discrimina tion or racism.

Violence,hatred and contempt for others can be portrayed in religious extremist books as moral when in fact these ideas are contradictory to Christianity,Islam and Judaism. Every major religious group in the United States denounces the use of violence against others.

Censorship is there for necessary in our prisons in order to keep individuals who often make poor choices from obtaining materials that propagate hatred,violence and antisemitism.Religio us books that espouse the norms and ideals of our society should be allowed.

Prisoners who have committed violent crimes against other members of society should be denied access to any reading material which may may give them a means of rationalizing their crimes.

Our prisons, instead of rehabilitating prisoners have become more like schools for hard core criminals and terrorists. We can initiate positive changes to the prison system through the use of censorship. Prisoners have given up their rights in our society by committing crimes against us. Rights to read materials that use religion as a means of propagating hatred,violence and discrimination against other members of our society should be taken away. Society has the right to protect itself.

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