Expert: Lane - 12/13/2007

Question
QUESTION: i'm learning about white collar crimes right now, and i was studying MKULTRA and how documents were ordered to be destroyed for what ever reason. i came across liturature that has been banned around the world. i'm not really curious about other countries, but how could our country do that? I can understand books or liturature that is dangerous, such as the anarchist book, which is a book with recipes to make homemade bombs, being banned. this prevents the book to fall into the wrong hands. but what about books that simply contradict government ways? yes, i understand it causes some ripples in public opinion, but why is it that it isn't breaking any freedom of speech laws? after all, it is someone's opinion. i though freedom of speech protected that right of a u.s citizen.
thanks!

ANSWER: Hello, thank you for the questions. As far as MKULTRA goes (I am sure you already know a lot so I will be brief) it was a series of tests of drugs conducted by the US Government starting in 1950 and continuing into the 1970's. The program used drugs such as LSD to test the results and how they could be used for mind-control or interrogation, and then in 1973 many documents were destroyed. The reasoning for the destruction is simple: they discovered that the drugs would not work the way they had hopped, or they discovered something they didn't want known, and they decided to destroy them. Anyone who runs experiments can destroy documents for any number of reasons, so this is not illegal. Plus, it is not our right to know what was done because it does not directly affect us. If they were using techniques on unwilling citizens, or using the results now in ways that affect us, we would need to know what was done. But, they did private research and probably thought the results would cause bad things to happen if known, so since they were not important to the government, they were destroyed.

As far as the literature goes, I apologize, but I cannot really talk about it unless I know what exactly it was and what it contained. It would be impossible for me to guess the reason without knowing the precise nature of the work, and thus it would all be speculation, so I will not do it. I will, however, say that if the works simply contradicted the government's word, they would not be banned (unless they were banned some years ago, when the government thought it was okay to do such things). There would have to be a reason, such as it was untruthful and if people believed it there would be mass problems all over the country. But since it was banned in many places around the world then I wasn't simply because the US disagreed with it but perhaps because it was too controversial or dishonest for the world. If you would like me to do more research on it, please let me know the exact work, and I would be happy to look more into it.

I hope I was able to answer your questions, if not please ask a follow up. Have a great day!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your timely response. If you don't mind, i would like to ask a follow-up. If i could ask you to please check out this book by Ray Bradbury called Farienheit 451. supposedly this book was banned in 1997 by the government for critizing US politics. This books is classified as a science fiction, no less, but it was banned. its about the future and how people become reliant on technology and don't need books anymore. according to the story, all books are banned for censorship. its very intresting. i suppose the government has its reasons for banning, but is it constitutional? especially if the book is classified as FICTION!!
I am, however, understanding the fact the the government doesn't want to create public worry or uproar. but i just thought it was our right to say what we want, regaurdless. i'll tell you one thing, they should consider banning those episodes on the history channel about nostradamus. a profit telling me when the world is going to end definatly causes worry. :) thanks!

Answer
Hello, and thank you for your follow-up. I apologize for not getting to you sooner, I have been very busy today. I did some research and concluded the the book in question has NOT been banned. In fact, it can be purchased on Amazon.com and (I hear) in most major bookstores.

I did read about it possibly being banned in some schools, which would only be because the content was "too much for the classroom" but from what I get of what your asking, you say it was banned nationwide. I have found this to not be the case. As far as weather or not banning a book is constitutional, the constitution never makes any direct note to books however, in the first amendment, the people have the right to Freedom of Press. I believe that can be interpreted for books as well. Therefor, unless it was threatening to the American people or written by a foreign author, a book could not be banned here.

Sorry if I was unable to answer your question, feel free to ask another follow-up and I would be happy to respond! Maybe clarify what you are trying to say, if I misunderstood. If not, then I hope I was able to help, have a great day and a Merry Christmas!