LeVar Burton, the voice smoother than a freshly buttered pancake, has been on a crusade against book bans with his partner in literary crime, PEN America. But hold your laughter, because now, in the middle of Pink’s Trustfall tour, she’s thrown her sparkly hat into the ring too! Yes, Pink, the pop sensation with a voice as powerful as a lion’s roar, has teamed up with PEN America to tackle the injustice of book bans. Move over, LeVar, there’s a new book warrior in town.
Fans at Pink’s Florida concerts were in for a treat, and no, it wasn’t just her mind-blowing performances. They snagged tote bags filled with banned books—2,000 of them in a week! That’s right, Pink is not just about hitting those high notes; she’s hitting back at censorship with a literary vengeance. Take that, book bans!
And why now, you ask? Well, according to PEN’s charts, Florida is leading the pack in book bans, leaving Texas in the dust like a forgotten ’90s boy band. #BeLikableRon2024 might want to rethink his strategy because Pink is making waves, and they’re not just the ones in her hair.
Pink, in an Instagram video that’s racked up more likes than the office cat meme, declared war on censorship. “It’s confusing, it’s infuriating, it is censorship,” she passionately proclaimed. Preach, Pink, preach! In a PEN statement, she added, “No more banned books,” because, really, who needs banned books when you can have a Pink-endorsed literary fiesta?
Florida, oh Florida, the land of sunshine, oranges, and apparently, banned books galore! According to PEN America’s research, Florida is the undisputed champion of book bans, with a whopping 1,406 cases. That’s more bans than a sitcom has reruns. Texas, you’re not even close with your measly 625 bans. Step up your game!
Ron DeSantis, the man with a knack for spin, claims it’s all a ‘book ban’ hoax. According to him, Florida is the “education state” (cue collective gasps). I nearly fell off my office wheelie chair reading that gem. Seriously, Ron, where do you come up with this stuff? Florida, where raccoons are public enemy number one and the great “brain drain” is in full swing. The only education happening there is in the school of absurdity.
Kudos to Pink for shining a spotlight on this literary crisis. She’s not just singing about raising a glass; she’s raising awareness. And let’s face it, cutting off access to knowledge is so last season. Check out PEN America’s Pink page for all the juicy details on banned books and how to hassle your elected officials to do something about it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to uncover the scandalous world of over-sexualized coding in “Girls Who Code.” The forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest!
