Book Bans, Thought Police, and the Dangerous Power of the Pause
They Call It a Pause. We Know It’s a Ban.
In my latest rabble.ca column, “The lists we keep, and the ones that keep us”, I unpack why Danielle Steele’s so-called “pause button” isn’t a timeout — it’s a warning sign. What’s being sold as “reflection” is, in truth, a move to ban books, stifle thought, and silence opposition.
Across North America, politicians and publishers are using softer language to justify modern censorship. It’s happening quietly, dressed up as prudence — but make no mistake: every “pause” is another step toward controlling what stories we tell, and which ones disappear.
👉 Why this matters now:
- Canada isn’t immune. The same cultural chill creeping through U.S. schools is seeping north.
- “Protecting readers” is the new branding for limiting access and policing ideas.
- If we stay silent, the space for creativity — and dissent — shrinks.
This isn’t just about literature. It’s about freedom of thought and the growing lists of what we’re “not supposed” to read, say, or even think.
📰 Read the full piece here: The lists we keep, and the ones that keep us
Because censorship doesn’t start with a ban — it starts with a pause.
