Books have been banned/censored throughout history. For example, the Catholic Church created the Index of Banned Books in the 1500s. The purpose of the Index was to prevent the general population from reading books that were contrary to the teachings of the Church. Some of Galileo's books were on this list. Anyone caught reading or selling these books was severely punished, tortured, or even killed. 500 years later, however, the book ban is still in effect. Hundreds of books are questioned every year in the United States, for various reasons. Many of these reasons are understandable, such as preventing adult content (e.g. vulgarity, violence, obscenity) from reaching young people. However, other reasons are quite irrational. For example, the Harry Potter series was removed from some school libraries because parents believed it promoted witchcraft. However, the precise reason behind the book ban is unclear. Additionally, many important American classics are banned, often for minor reasons, such as foul language. Why do we ban books that teach valuable lessons? Is it because censors are simply trying to protect children from inappropriate content? Or are governments trying to suppress unwanted ideas? Books should not be banned because book censorship is unnecessary, limits knowledge and violates the fundamental principles of this country. While some may say that some books contain explicit/violent content, banning such books is not an effective method of preventing young children from being exposed to such content and is therefore not necessary. One person who holds such beliefs is Christina Healey. In his article “Book Banning Can Be Justified in Some Cases,” he argues that in some cases, book banning is… paper medium… printing; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. When it comes to the issue of book bans, the First Amendment states that the government may not make laws that interfere with the freedom of the press. The Supreme Court has commonly upheld this right. The denial of this right, according to the article by Micah Issitt and Ames Cushman, is a sign of a totalitarian government. Therefore, any form of book ban is a flagrant violation of the freedom of the press, one of America's most cherished rights. Controlling what society can and cannot read goes against the founding principles of this nation. In conclusion, book bans should not happen because they are unnecessary, violate freedoms, and prevent important lessons from being taught. To preserve freedom and literacy, book bans should be banned.