Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen

 "Where they burn books, they will also burn people."

~ Jewish poet Heinrich Heine ~

Books, books, and more books.  That's what a library is.  That's also what my living room is.  I humbly confess that I am a clear cut book addict.  I love books.  Not even because I love to read them (I do, though), I simply just love books.  They stand for something - freedom, knowledge, an open mind.

Many people in the past, however, have hated books.  Adolf Hitler is probably the best example.  He proved himself an evil man in restricting his citizens the right to read books of their choice.  In truth, he burned them because he was afraid.  He was afraid of the common sense and moral values his people might gain from reading "unapproved" books.  He was afraid of the power of the written word to call men to action for truth and righteousness.  He knew if he got books out of the way his scheming would be much easier and bring about greater results.  There wasn't any reasoning beyond that to the book burnings of Germany.  Books were burned regardless of their qualities simply because they were Jewish or American, or spoke of democracy.  Books by authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Jack London and Helen Keller, and British writer H. G. Wells were sent to the flames in masses.

Ray Bradbury wrote a fantastic book on this issue.  His  Fahrenheit 451 will take the blinders off anyone who doesn't see the importance of literature.  In the dystopian world he presents, books are regarded as unhealthy for society - for books cause knowledge.  When such knowledge is available, it also becomes possible for some individuals to be more "intelligent" than others. This, of course, could cause bad feelings.  The beloved utopia of collectivism would then fall in this imaginary, but not-too-distant future world.  Books separate people, and we can't have that. So they've got to go. We want a society where everybody is equal and alike. Books make that impossible. So we must burn them. Book-readers are "enemies of the public peace." So they must be arrested. They are disturbing The Force. They are an example of Another Way. We can't have that. Ideas might give people ideas.  It all sounds very similar to Germany under Hitler, does it not?

Evil men will always attempt to be rid of the written word - because it is powerful. It is the essence of humanity printed on paper.  Even seemingly "fluffy" stories have "morals" behind them that cause men and women to consider themes of freedom, faith, and right and wrong.  For this reason, books will continually be the enemy of dictators and villains who wish to rule based on ignorance.  Books educate and enlighten, and plant thoughts and ideas in the mind that cause fierce resistance to totalitarian demands.

Books will be burned.  It can't be avoided.  What will not occur, however, as long as the human spirit persists is the eradication of human expression and storytelling on paper.  That will forever live on.