1y ago

The former host of ‘Reading Rainbow’ used to encourage kids to read books. Now he’s telling adults not to ban them

www.cnn.com

The former host of ‘Reading Rainbow’ used to encourage kids to read books. Now he’s telling adults not to ban them | CNN

CNN —

As the National Book Awards came to a close on Wednesday, finalists for the prestigious literary prizes took the stage in New York to speak about the Israel-Hamas war, with others at the ceremony also choosing to address banned books.

104 comments

Interesting article organisation. Tease LeVar Burton, but don't introduce him until the second section.
Also, his name is LeVar Burton, and the man has done a lot of things.
- Seriously whats with this "former host" bullshit
- Everybody wishes they could be LeVar Burton
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpwyXURokKM
  
  RIP Lance Reddrick
  
  You can't disappoint a picture
  
  I didn’t know I needed that today.

lol at not even a sly reference to his most famous role. it was amazing to watch LeVar Burton go from kid's show reading advocate to sci-fi hero. dude's a national treasure.
- Don't forget Roots
  
  "Where's my iconic slave role?"
- And can I just add... DAMN he's aged well. That beard is on point.
  
  Ngl how fabulous he looks is the first thing I noticed about the post.
- He inspired a generation to wear their mom's hairband over their eyes

Who does CNN think their target demographic is with that headline? If you're reading CNN, you remember Reading Rainbow, and if you remember Reading Rainbow, YOU PUT SOME RESPEK ON LEVAR BURTON'S GATDAMN NAME.
- Don't mess with Kunta Kinte!!!
  
  Could you imagine bouncing a check to that guy!
- People who don't read books want them banned!
  Pages 11-12

LeVar Burton is a national treasure, his podcast is amazing.
https://www.levarburtonpodcast.com/
Basically Reading Rainbow for adults.
- Nice to see short fiction making a bit of a comeback. Shame all this MAGA stuff didn't bring back the best thing about the 50s: short format and serial fiction periodicals.
  
  Some of the short fiction magazines that still exist have had to stop accepting submissions from unknown authors. The month chat gpt was released they saw a 10x increase in submissions.
  
  I use SCP writings to replace the short form horror texts

Boy, does it feel like we've failed our childhood heroes.
- We really have.
  Mr Rogers would also be disappointed.
- Yes, but the other Mr Rogers is pretty happy.

How sad that it's come to this. On the other hand, maybe if Mr. Rogers was still around, we'd have someone to talk to Republicans about kindness.
- Republicans have tried demonizing him as woke trying to indoctrinate our children. So unfortunately unlikely.
  
  Demonizing probably the nicest man in history is a good indicator that you're the villain.
  
  The irony is, he is woke. Dude was literally Kunta Kinte.
- They would call him too woke.
  
  Fox News called him evil, so… at least he’s not woke.
  https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fox-fred-rogers-evil/
- They wouldn't listen to him, and would call Mr. Rogers woke trash. The current Republican Party and its supporters are a hot mess.
  
  Depending on how you define “modern” Fox News did call him evil in 2007.
  https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fox-fred-rogers-evil/

Anyone else feel like the country would be better off if more adults read books too? Only half joking...
- I think it would depend on the books.
  
  Yeah, for all i know the only approved book in a conservative adult book program would be mein kampf
  
  Fabio taught me a lot about living life to the fullest!
  
  I think it would depend on the books.
  Isn't that the whole argument for banning some books and not others?
  
  That's why people need to read a LOT of books. The only thing worse than someone who doesn't read at all is the person that reads like one book a year and let's it define their whole personality.
  
  Who else has a copy of "Mein Kampf" or "My New Order: A Collection of Speeches" on their nightstand.
  Right guys?
  
  That's fair.
- I read manga, does that count? lol
  
  Yes. Manga isn't my thing but yes it counts. Frankly any book counts.
  
  I'm gonna hope you mean stuff like Ghost in the Shell and 20th Century Boys and not .... the other kind of manga.

Moms of Liberty: Reading "Rainbow", omg we HAVE to ban that from schools as it has a gay agenda!
Qwack jobs like those need to read the Constitution more instead of reinterpreting their Bible to fit their own agenda.
Shout out to LeVar, a true National Treasure.

If only adults realised the value of actually reading books instead of merely gouging on TV and Internet talking points.
- More and more people are reading every year. The latest generation are devouring books.
  The old grumpy TV glued generation are dying off and being replaced by book reading activists that care about the future.
  
  More and more people are reading every year. The latest generation are devouring books.
  Can you cite a source for this? I say this not to challenge you, but because I really hope it's objectively true.