“As a proud Muslim American, I cherish the freedom to practice my faith openly and without government interference. It’s a right enshrined in the First Amendment and a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to religious pluralism,” he wrote, noting that faith freedom is under threat from Christian nationalism. “Proponents of book bans often cloak their arguments in the language of religious freedom, claiming that exposure to ‘offensive’ or ‘immoral’ content violates their right to practice their faith. However, this rhetoric distorts the true meaning of religious liberty, which guarantees the right of conscience for people of all faiths and none.”

In her essay, she shared two main reasons she saw people who embrace Christian nationalism engaging in efforts to ban books: to impose their religious beliefs on others and to turn our government into a religious government. She shared some of the country’s history of religious censorship in the name of morality, noting that those who embrace Christian nationalism use book bans “to criminalize content and, by extension, to criminalize people.” She said one way to support banned books is to read them. “By seeking and celebrating banned books, readers can stop the erasure of marginalized people. Moreover, exposure to diverse viewpoints fosters empathy and breaks down the fear that Christian nationalists capitalize on when censoring texts.”