My opinion on the whole issue of taxing books

Been catching up on my reading these past few nights, I managed to avoid the idiot box now that half of my channels have gone kaput and have resorted to good old paper based entertainment. I have just finished "The Watchmen" (hmm... is there a 'the'?) and am now moving on to some short stories.

Back in high school, I used to read a book or two a month. Mostly the classics, Hemingway, Stephen King, the occasional Danielle Steele (understand that I didn't buy books, I depend on my sister for reading matter) and this has somehow expanded my horizons to different cultures and opinions, as well as given me different perspectives on the human drama. In fact, it was during this time that I dabbled in writing and this has definitely helped me develop my own style and more importantly an interest in jotting down my thoughts and daydreams.

Then I learn that there was a resolution or directive to impose taxes and duties on imported books? I imagined myself not getting hooked on reading during those years and I might have been a lot more narrow minded and devoid of creative thought today. Well of course, there's the television and though it does contribute in a way to developing one's intellect and critical thought, I have found that it doesn't help anyone's attention span. My theory is the Right-Here-Right-Now kids with low EQs would probably have developed more character if their parent's actually "parent-ed" rather than leaving their kids to drool over the boob tube the whole weekend. But that's another topic altogether.

Books are an all important tool for anyone's development and rather than limiting the inflow of fresh ideas and different points of view into our society, we should all the more embrace these if we as a people were to uplift our quality of life. I could go on all day about the benefits of making books more accessible to everyone but somehow I feel that everyone knows this already. Sure, what's a measly percentage taxed on something like a book, but bringing it on a larger scale I would hypothesize that this would discourage publishers and importers of books from bringing in new releases and consequently leave the whole country in the dark ages while everyone else zooms ahead to the future.

Yesterday, I read in the papers that this issue had reached the president and she has ordered the repeal of such an absurd and greedy directive. Have to applaud all the people who managed to air enough noise for some people up on their high chairs to actually gain some sense.