A bill proposed in Missouri this month represents a transparent, shameful attempt to legalize book banning in public libraries within the state, PEN America said today.Because you just know that it will be the local members of the Christian Taliban who will run for those positions and then they'll ban all of the books that they deem to be "unfit".
The bill — the Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act or House Bill 2044 — aims to add several provisions to the state’s funding law for public libraries. These new provisions establish “parental library review boards” that would evaluate whether any library materials constitute “age-inappropriate sexual material.” Members of these five-member boards, who would be elected at a town meeting by a simple majority of voters, are empowered to determine whether material is appropriate, including by evaluating its literary merit. Public librarians are explicitly barred by the statute from serving on such review boards, even if they are from the community
Books such as Huckleberry Finn, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter series and 1984, for instance.
What kids can and cannot read is a matter for the parents of the kids themselves. There doesn't need to be a bunch of religious zealots exercising their twisted notions of control over everyone else.
It's bad enough that those asswipes have control over what we see on broadcast TV.
Wondering if the Psalms will be considered age appropriate...maybe hoist by their own petard?
ReplyDeleteNobody ever says "We must ban this book because I might read it and be harmed by it."
ReplyDelete-Doug in Oakland
The few libraries I've been in of late are pretty heavily self-censored, the new additions and current events sections heavy on the reich-wing side, the slow things down, the impede progress, the retard side while light on informative, progressive side of things. Reason I stopped going into libraries, most likely whatever is there of interest I've already seen.
ReplyDeleteAre they banning the Bible's Song of Solomon? That was my favorite secret erotica read while the Southern Baptist* preacher was raining hell, fire and brimstone on the congregation.
ReplyDeleteThe local libraries here feature few books on the bare shelves but the many computer stations are always full. Looks like Egon Spengler was finally correct, print is dead. Books are now surplus and largely unwanted. Some 2nd hand stores don't accept books anymore, can't sell them. So it goes.
*Southern Baptists split from the American Baptists in the 19th century because Southern Baptists loved slavery so much and wanted it continued forever as was God's plan, while the American Baptists wanted to end slavery. WTH? Trying to piss off the big guy upstairs by messing with his plan? Southern Baptists want slaves, dammit!
For the last 40+ years I'v watched the feral Christians
ReplyDeleteplaybook of how to control amerika. They are patient
and regressive. And while they are not fully successful
they are gaining slowly.
That needs to be stopped.
Eck!