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Santa Fe—In Norwood, Colo., the Superintendent of schools Bob Condor, at the request of a parent, banned one of the most influential books in Chicano literature from Norwood High School students. The Chicano classic, “Bless Me, Ultima,” by Rudolfo Anaya, professor emeritus of English at the University of New Mexico, focuses on the perspective of a seven-year-old boy’s dealings with Ultima, an herb and mystic healer or curandera. The book was banned for profanity and its supposed pagan content, and was deemed unworthy for the 96 students at the Norwood High School. A group of students protested the banning. Condor later apologized for not following specific protocol that literary works demand when they are deemed unfit for the Norwood public school students. Condor admitted he hadn’t read the entire book, but banned it based on statements, and excerpts taken out of context. In a Feb 3 AP report, Condor had this to say when he banned the book: “It's less a matter of censorship than a matter of sponsorship. That's not the kind of garbage I want to sponsor at this high school." TheDenverChannel.com reported that Condor addressed the students and said: "I am protecting you from a mandatory assignment that should not have been forced on you.” A Narrow Mindset Adversely Affects Students “I think some people are afraid of the diverse literature of this country, and this narrow mindset affects the students by keeping them from these literary works.” Anaya said in a telephone interview. Concerning this latest banning and prior bans of the book, Anaya said that most of the people who disapprove of the book base their opinions on excerpts without reading the entire novel. He praised the Norwood High School students, and Norwood community for their support of “Bless Me, Ultima,” and handling of the situation. “Bless Me, Ultima” doesn’t present a profane or a pagan setting at the turning of every page, but deals with the dynamics of a New Mexican family. There is some mild profanity within the book, some mysticism, but nothing perpetuating, or advocating a “garbage” type of behavior. The book looks into serious issues surrounding WWII, destiny, and the coming of age of the seven-year-old Antonio. Artistically, the language reads very vividly, and strategically uses Spanish language to create a colloquial dialog between the characters. Anaya is An Award-Winning Author Anaya has received numerous awards such as the Premio Quinto Sol national Chicano literary award, and recently, the National Medal of the Arts presented to him by President George W. Bush for exceptional contribution to contemporary American literature for bringing national recognition to the traditions of the Chicano people, and for his efforts to promote Hispanic writers. The book itself sold more than 300,000 copies by word of mouth alone. Condor’s solution to the problem consisted of collecting all the copies meant for the Norwood High School freshman class and having the janitor destroy them. Instead, a parent requested that the books should be burned. Condor granted the request, but there is no information that the books have actually been destroyed. Last documented they were in a landfill somewhere in the Rockies. In a Feb. 17 Eastside Reporter editorial, Joe Olvera stated, “Isn't this ridiculous? Is Bless Me, Ultima to be considered in the same league as Lady Chatterly's Lover, by D.E. Lawrence, Howl, by Allen Ginsberg, or Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller? Zealots who want to do our thinking for us banned the other books at one time or another.” Appearing at number 75 on the 100 most challenged or banned books,
“Bless Me, Ultima” isn’t a stranger Links to specific stories and quotes used in this article: |
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Copyright © IAIA CHRONICLE 2005 |
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