How deep do your values go?

Welcome to my first AP of the term in Forbidden Books. This class, as the name states, is about censored/banned books and literature. We will dig deeper into understanding the reasons why books and texts were banned. We have had the opportunity to start the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, which was banned in the United States, South Africa, and multiple school districts around the US. For the first portion of this unit, we learned about a Socratic seminar and the "Socratic method." The Socratic method is a form of teaching and learning that involves asking questions instead of providing answers. It is a method of discussion, often used in philosophy and critical thinking. The goal of the Socratic method is to encourage critical thinking and understanding by asking questions that challenge assumptions and lead to deeper understanding. For this Action Project, we had to have two people: Person one (Joe Walters) plays as Socrates, the questioner, and the second person plays as Meletus (Billy Bob), the person pushed to think deeper into the topic but also goes through a transformation in the dialogue that makes them deepen their understanding. I hope you enjoy watching my video.

Characters: 

Joe Bob - Joe supporter 

Billy Bob - Trump supporter 

Script:

William	Hi Joe, how are you?
Leon	Hi Bob, I'm doing well. How are you doing?
William	Not well because I heard you don’t support my lord and savior Donald Trump.
Leon	Can you tell me more about why you support him?
William	He’s absolutely an amazing businessman.
Leon	Does a good businessman go bankrupt?
William	Well, no but-
Leon	Well did you know that he filed for bankruptcy not once, not twice but 6 times at that.
William	That is absolutely ridiculous, it is a lie started by the liberal left.
Leon	It has been fact checked by multiple sources including the department of justice.
William	People are allowed to fail, that’s not a crime. Plus he’s always been patriotic.
Leon	Was he patriotic on Jan. 6th
William	That wasn’t Trump that was a ploy by the left to undermine Trump’s legacy.
Leon	So your telling me that Democrats were protesting an election they won.
William	They didn’t win it. That’s why they protested.
Leon	That’s a very interesting take. Do you find his ties with Russia patriotic?
William	That’s not true he would never be a puppet to Putin.
Leon	Eric Trump said it himself, “We have all the funding we need coming out of Russia, we don’t need american banks.” So how patriotic does that sound?
William	That couldn’t be true, because that would go against all of his christian beliefs and values.
Leon	Was it christian when he said it was okay to grab women by their private areas?
William	FAKE NEWS!! THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FAKE NEWS!!
Leon	We have a live mic of him saying it. (Plays clip) Moving on, how about when he couldn’t pronounce books in the bible? Don’t you find it a bit odd that someone who is a part of the christian faith doesn't know the books of the bible?
William	Even Peter was a sinner. (Mumbles this can’t be true)
Leon	So how can you support a man who, lies, cheats, steals and offers no apology for it nor asks for forgiveness from god.
William	I didn’t look at it from this angle before. The Trump you see isn’t the Trump I see.
Leon	Well we're just about out of time. I hope i’ve given you some food for thought.

I truly enjoyed making this video. This AP has helped me start to further my understanding of censorship. It is all too true that in this day and age, censorship is an ongoing epidemic. We must do all we can to stop the spread of this vile "virus." This Action Project is more than just an academic exercise; it is an exploration of how dialogue and questioning can challenge deeply held beliefs. By embodying the Socratic method, we were able to simulate how critical discussions can lead to personal growth and understanding. The use of Fahrenheit 451 as the foundation for this unit underscores the importance of intellectual freedom and the dangers of censorship. It serves as a stark reminder that banned books often challenge authority, provoke thought, and inspire change—traits that make them invaluable.

The project’s dialogue illuminated how questioning assumptions and presenting facts can chip away at biases, fostering more informed perspectives. In an era where censorship is as much about restricting books as it is about controlling narratives, projects like these are vital for developing the skills to think critically and resist manipulation. I look forward to continuing this journey through forbidden texts, exploring how literature and open dialogue can combat ignorance and promote understanding.

WORK CITED: 

BBC News. “Queen Elizabeth II Has Died Buckingham Palace Announces - BBC News.” YouTube, 8 Sept. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_H9eobuKnw.

C-Span. “Donald Trump: ‘Two Corinthians...’ (C-SPAN).” YouTube, 18 Jan. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIgHsGZAmk&feature=youtu.be. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.

Davidgeorge11. “‘60 Minutes’ Opening.” YouTube, 14 June 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBqrfITE9RA&feature=youtu.be. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.

Fox News. “Donald Trump Caught Making Crude Comments About Women.” YouTube, 7 Oct. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSyPDNSK7lc&feature=youtu.be.

Green, Leon. “Forbidden Books AP.” YouTube, 28 Jan. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=invPbpnVcxc&feature=youtu.be.

Juninho Bento. “‘CNN Breaking News’ Full Intro | CNN.” YouTube, 31 May 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_4VNP2L-H8.

NBC News. “Trump Encourages Those at His Rally to March to the Capitol | NBC News NOW.” YouTube, 7 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fiT6c0MQ58&feature=youtu.be.

NowThis News. “Networks Call the 2020 Election, Declaring Biden the Winner | NowThis.” YouTube, 7 Nov. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PktBOjJakc.