A Florida law that banned Assassination Classroom blocked by judge

In recent news that should be marked in Anime/Manga history, a federal judge has overturned a Florida law that conservative groups had used to ban Assassination Classroom and other well-known anime titles, ruling that it violated the First Amendment’s protections of free speech. First enacted in 2022 and expanded in 2023, the measure required school libraries to remove books considered “obscene” and allowed any Florida resident to petition for additional removals. The law quickly led to a surge in censorship, with PEN America documenting nearly 5,000 banned books in Florida more than any other state. Among these cases was the removal of Assassination Classroom in one county, a decision that drew significant attention.

Critics argued the law restricted more than just manga. Activists often referred to it as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, pointing to provisions that barred instruction on LGBTQ+ topics in schools. By late 2024, conservative groups such as “Moms for Liberty” called for the removal of all manga and light novels from both schools and libraries, echoing similar efforts in states like Texas and North Carolina, where titles such as Goblin Slayer came under scrutiny. The decision to strike down the law was issued by Judge Carlos Mendoza, an Obama appointee, though Governor Ron DeSantis has vowed to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, leaving the law’s ultimate fate uncertain.

Our Take

Truthfully, I didn’t expect Anime/Manga to be in the conversation before a federal court. I was kinda unaware this was even happening in Florida. This is also the first time I heard of this “Moms for Liberty” extremist group, who sound just as bad as those Aussie Super-Karens from “Collective Shout” who are rightfully on everyone’s crosshairs right now due to their equally manipulative censorship tactics and backwards values of censoring everything but praising disgustingly predatory stuff like “Cuties” for some reason.

Much like many oppressive regimes and hypocritical activists that have gaping holes of insecurity and overcompensate by flaunting their twisted versions of moral superiority, censorship groups often forget that where there’s oppression, there will always be Rebellion in some form or another to preserve and protect what we love, even if it’s deemed “Problematic” to the eyes of everyone else. And a recent quote that stuck with me springs to mind in a response to those bothered by any disturbing subject matter within their mediums as a whole: “You are not owed comfort and security in the art you consume”.