Converge, Trivium, Knocked Loose, and more join fight w/ LeVar Burton against banned books

Official press release: 

As reported in The Hollywood Reporter, MoveOn Political Action and LeVar Burton announced today that nearly 175 authors, actors, musicians, directors, songwriters and other notable influencers–including Converge, Trivium, Knocked Loose, Cave In, Greyhaven, Dying Wish, The Callous Daoboys, Stick To Your Guns, Stray From The Path, Joel Birch and many more–signed a statement denouncing the rising wave of GOP book bans across the country. As the start of the school year begins and through National Banned Books Month in October, Burton and MoveOn are collaborating on a campaign with creative leaders to bring heightened awareness to the dangerous form of censorship and exclusion. Republicans banned a record number of books in the last school year, despite backlash and public opinion research showing that the majority of Americans are opposed to book bans. Members of the public are encouraged to add their names and contribute to the effort.

See the full letter and list of signatories at www.ArtistsAgainstBookBans.com.

Said Emma Boster of Dying Wish:

Rock, metal and punk music sadly has a long history of censorship attempts, from songs being banned from the airwaves to the Parents Music Resource Center's puritanical culture war. Regressive politicians and government figures are continuing their misguided attempts to curtail access to works by artists and creatives they deem offensive through book bans.

Said Tom Williams of Stray From The Path:

We've always used our music and platform to speak out against various forms of injustice. No matter the industry, the medium or art form, nobody should have their creative works censored by the government. If they can ban books then what stops them from banning music next?

Said LeVar Burton, former host of the PBS series "Reading Rainbow" and executive producer of the 2023 documentary "The Right to Read": 

It's embarrassing that we are banning books in this country, in this culture, in this day and age. And it's dangerous that a handful of individuals are deciding that any book with Black and queer people is divisive. I'm proud to be surrounded by hundreds of artists and millions of MoveOn members who are solidly against this type of censorship. We are calling on everyone to join us in raising their voices to uphold artistic freedom, embrace multicultural history, and put a stop once and for all to book bans.

MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting commented: 

There is both consensus among the creative community and the majority of Americans that book bans take our country backwards. Ron DeSantis and MAGA Republicans seek to censor all of our diverse backgrounds and to punish those who live, love, and think differently than they do," "We won't surrender to their extremism. They cannot erase us. We are the majority, we are defiant, and we will prevail."