Ariana Grande, Ava Max among stars signing open letter against book bans

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Ariana Grande and Ava Max are just two of the more than 175 celebrities — including actors, musicians, authors, comedians, reality stars and more — who have signed an open letter denouncing book bans in U.S. school districts. https://campaigns.moveon.org/banned-bookmobile/artists/

The project is spearheaded by LeVar Burton, host of Reading Rainbow, and was published on September 19 by the political action committee MoveOn. “As artists, creators, entertainers, and activists, we recognize and are horrified by the threat of censorship in the form of book bans,” the letter begins.

“This restrictive behavior is not just antithetical to free speech and expression but has a chilling effect on the broader creative field” 
“The government cannot and should not create any interference or dictate what people can produce, write, generate, read, listen to, or consume.”

The letter warns that such bans, championed by “far-right politicians,” according to the MoveOn website, might lead to banning other forms of art and entertainment in an attempt to “scapegoat marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ+ and BIPOC folks.”
"We refuse to remain silent as one creative field is subjected to oppressive bans. As artists, we must band together, because a threat to one form of art is a threat to us all."
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