Burning Books? Let’s Confront The Real Issue.

The book-burning preacher from Tennesee. Honestly, I’m not sure why people are surprised by this stunt. This scenario is not the first time Greg Locke has burned a book that disagrees with his ideology. After all, the man is neither unique nor clever. He follows a playbook most authoritarians use. However, book burning has a long history, as does banning them. And there is a danger here. So, let’s take a look at the past and how it affects our present.

Lessons from History

According to an article from Slate, an ancient Assyrian king built a royal library in Ninevah. He did this to hold the history and knowledge amassed within his kingdom and those he subjugated. Unfortunately, when neighboring invaders overthrew the empire, the library was lost to fire and smashing.

Time Magazine records that in 213 BCE, the Chinese Emperor Shih Huang Ti reportedly believed history would begin with him if he destroyed all documents within his realm. Not to mention, in 1258, the Tigris reportedly ran black from the ink of the destroyed books when Mongols sacked Baghdad.

Finally, Christians began a crusade of violence after Constantine made Christianity the dominant religion of the Roman empire. As a result, society could then be conformed through Christian beliefs, teachings, and practices once Pagan thought was removed from public discourse and view.

Burning Books Nothing New

There is a biblical saying that nothing is new under the sun. So it goes with the destruction of collective knowledge, wisdom, and history. It has been happening for centuries.

In the mid-twentieth century, however, things took a turn. Book burning as ritual display came to the fore in 1933 when Nazi groups burned massive amounts of books written by Jews, Gays, and anyone who opposed Nazi ideology.

The whole thing was an elaborate, manipulative demonstration of power. Why? Their belief in “race purity” included the notion of “one true cultural and ideological canon.”

Anything else that did not fit, conform or belong was thrown on the pyre. They used this imagery to convey that message, cow people into accepting Nazi disinformation as inevitable and inescapable.

The symbolism behind the destruction is a modern interpretation.

So, how did the Nazis know that people watching these books burn would work to their advantage? Basically, book destruction as control became more effective when ordinary folks gained easier access to the written word through the invention of the printing press in 1444,

Records of the past, mythologies, religious discourse, philosophy, sciences, daily life, etc., copies became available for the first time. Things to learn and improve upon over generations of readers and writers.

Over time, cheaper printing offered books to common folk, who began to learn that access to information can change the world. Ideas are formed from reading books, gathering information. This is why reading, writing, and language comprehension (among other skills) are so important.

The Nazis took the control of book burning and amplified it through the presentation. Hitler and his cronies were expert manipulators. People were made to feel emboldened or helpless in the onslaught of their campaign and the Third Reich used it to great effect. Why do you think the Nazis took their actions to the next horrible extreme?

Words matter — spoken, recorded, or written for posterity. They hold the power to manipulate events and shape matter into will. As Witches, Pagans, and magickal people, we understand words. This is why we should use them with care and wisdom. This is why we should do all we can to protect them.

Who (or What) Is Truly At Risk

We live in an age where the written and recorded word is readily available. We have libraries, archives, and electronic data storage. Even so, we need to keep written and recorded words available to everyone through support.

Banning books is an attempt to prevent people from reading things that do not correlate with someone’s ideology. Sound familiar? Currently, multiple states and school boards are trying to prevent children and youths’ access to what they feel is “unacceptable” material. Many of these works are by Black, LGBTQ, and progressive thinkers. And of course, there are the “occult” writings of children’s literature to fuss over.

While it may not seem as scary as outright burning, banning books from schools and public libraries has a similar effect. Control over the minds of individuals who may otherwise adopt a different worldview from those opposed to the material.

In a nutshell…

If children are taught that people of different races, genders, religions, and beliefs are equal and share the same rights within society, then change will happen as those children become adults. Over time, they will contribute these ideas through action into the cultural norms, affecting the overall values of our country.

Laws will be made to reflect these new ideas such as marriage equality, reproductive freedom without fear, the ability to live in a society where your very existence is not threatened because of the color of your skin or the nature of your gender.

Words are the fuel that creates change. This is what we must protect. Ideas that promote justice, equality, and social fairness everyone can enjoy.

This is what is at risk from people such as the book banners and burners who use spectacle to make a point. Freedom to live, learn, and grow in whatever manner is best for ourselves.

Banners and burners are those who wish to have the power to prevent people from reading something from other than their “approved” list. Something based on a particular group’s subjective opinion of what is “right ” or “moral” within their ideological canon.

Such people have always believed if they can prevent access, they can prevent change from their preferred “moral high ground.” Except we live in a time where even if they succeed in banning (or burning) there are multiple ways for interested people to find those words. Our best defense is to understand and act upon this reality.

Does Book Burning Pastor Threaten Witches?

This whole post was generated from reading Jason Mankey”s “What Really Matters” and John Becket’s “Those Who Burn Books Will Eventually Burn People.” Two interesting perspectives on the book burning event sponsored by (as Jason hilariously prefers to call him) “Pastor Jerkface.”

What is troubling to me is this quote from Jerkface (in an article from The Hill):

“We have a constitutional right and a Biblical right to do what we’re going to do tonight,” Locke says in the video. “We have a burn permit, but even without one a church has a religious right to burn occultic materials that they deem are a threat to their religious rights and freedoms and belief systems.”

Here’s my question.

How is any what was burned that night (with the exception of the protestor who chucked a bible into the flames; now there is some dangerous material) a “threat” to their religious rights and belief systems? Are our religious freedoms not also protected by the same laws?

There was DISNEY stuff in there for heaven’s sake. And maybe a clock (or jewelry case)? Probably an antique some Granny who knew folk magick passed down. I don’t know. The video shows a bunch of people going giddy by throwing perceived “evil things” onto a big bonfire that evening. Kinda crazy.

No Witch or Pagan is proselytizing their church. Witches are not seeking their babies (some Middle Ages propaganda) to devour. Like so many marginalized people, we want to practice our witchcraft, ceremonies, and rituals in peace.  We want to wear our pentacles without some Christian trying to “save” or proselytize us. Speaking for myself, this Witch would like to be accepted by society rather than feared.

Okay, maybe a little feared. Just kidding. Sort of. 

Ultimately, Pastor Jerkface’s book-burning ritual had more to do with OPTICS than anything else. If it were about rescuing people from the occult (or their sins) he would not have live-streamed it. Plain and simple. So yeah, he is probably trying to incite fear in all who do not tow his brand of Conspirianity (see what I did there) and inspire those who do.  He wants the attention, outrage, and to stir up his congregation.

No, we cannot ignore his defiant excuses or demand for Christian purity or whatever the hell else he wants. We need to do what we can to repudiate such actions and encourage laws that protect books from being outright banned or burned. Marginalized groups from being targeted.

Are witches at risk?  Probably not. John Beckett’s right that we have laws in this country to protect us from evildoers such as Greg Locke and his deluded sheep should they overstep the line.

Those whom we truly need to worry over and support are the Blacks, Asians, Latinx, Middle-Eastern, Women of all ethnicities, and the LGBTQ communities. We need to work toward inclusion within witchcraft and paganism. We find the strength to overcome the Locke’s of the world together.

And we need to get out and vote for people who will uphold justice, fairness, and rights for everyone. We need to reverse the polarity toward authoritarianism into which this country has marched since 2016 through our votes (and our magick).

Witch, Be A Good Neighbor

In his post, Jason Mankey suggests being our best selves to combat the likes of Greg Locke and his ilk. And I do agree with his perspective on some level. We look to fix things in our own house and ignore the little man shouting obscenities on the street corner.

However, there does come a time when we must view the bigger picture, discern if history is on the track to repeat itself. Anti-semitism has been gaining momentum in this country (again).

Laws that would protect immigrants and transgender individuals are being reversed. Roe vs Wade is under serious threat and could be repealed at any time. Who’s to say a renegade firebug preacher could not add fuel to the bellies of the beast.

Sure. We should be our best selves but with eyes wide open and prepared to help protect our neighbors, families, and occult communities too.

Book burning, banning and all that goes with it are attempts by individuals to gain power or hold onto it. We are the ones who prevent their ability to succeed. I’m going to end this LONG post with a quote from a man whom I admire –Martin Luther King, Jr:

“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”